The Flirt (Le flirt)

c. 1886

Albert Besnard

Associated Names
Albert Besnard

Artist, French, 1849 - 1934

The image shows two people sitting next to each other. The figure on the left is leaning closely towards the other. The person on the right is seated with relaxed posture on an ornate chair, their head resting against their hand as they gaze downward. Their facial features are soft and their hair is styled back, appearing dark in color. They are wearing a light-colored dress with long sleeves that covers their entire body down to the feet. The dress flows over the side of the chair. The person on the left is depicted in shadow and also leans on the chair, with minimal visible clothing details. The setting appears to be indoors with a large window on the right, bright compared to the shadowy room, and offers a stark contrast to the darker space surrounding the figures. The window has some faint lines indicating objects in the background.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching on Van Gelder laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate: 31.8 × 24.5 cm (12 1/2 × 9 5/8 in.)
    sheet: 47.6 × 32.4 cm (18 3/4 × 12 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.1473

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Delteil, no. 52, State ii/ii

  • Series Title

    La Femme: plate VI

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Lessing J. Rosenwald [1891-1979], Jenkintown, PA; gift to NGA, 1943.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1906

  • Delteil, Loys. Le peintre-graveur illustre. 31 vols. Paris: Published by the author, 1906-1926. Reprint. New York: Collectors Editions, Da Capo Press, 1969. Vol. 30 (Albert Besnard) is by Louis Godefroy.

Inscriptions

"ABesnard" lower right margin, graphite, artist's hand. Not dated. "Tireé à 100" lower left margin, graphite, unknown hand. "Le Flirt état non décret" lower left margin, graphite, unknown hand. "EE611 E002" lower right margin, graphite, unknown hand. "A1339" lower left margin, graphite, unknown hand. Verso: none.

Markings

"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1760b). "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1932d).

Watermarks

[crown] Van Gelder

Wikidata ID

Q64952367

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