Greeting Grandmother (Le Bonjour à la Grand-mère)

c. 1926

Albert Besnard

Associated Names
Albert Besnard

Artist, French, 1849 - 1934

The image shows a room interior containing four individuals. In the foreground, an adult is partially seen lying in bed, covered by a blanket and head resting on a pillow. This person is turned slightly on their side with one arm extended upward, reaching out towards a child. The child is held by another adult who is standing next to the bed. The child's features are small and delicate, with short hair. The adult holding them has a muscular build with short hair and facial features depicted in shadow. In the background, there is another person depicted from the back, standing near a window with light streaming through the curtains they are holding open. No explicit details of facial features can be discerned due to the shading and positioning. No visible jewelry is noted, and no objects are held by the individuals. The atmosphere of the room is characterized by a mixture of darkness and light, with the source of light coming from the window, casting the individuals in varied degrees of shadow.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching, drypoint, false-biting, and softground etching on Arches laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Bell

  • Dimensions

    plate: 24.6 x 31.6 cm (9 11/16 x 12 7/16 in.)
    sheet: 32.9 x 41 cm (12 15/16 x 16 1/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1996.136.12

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Delteil, undescribed, State iv/?


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Bell, Cambridge, MA; gift to NGA, 1996.

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

lower right in graphite: ABesnard.; rest by later hands, lower left in graphite: 4e Et; lower right verso in graphite: c. 1879; lower left verso in graphite: La presentation du bebe à la grand mère; lower center verso in graphite: TXX

Markings

(Albert Besnard stamp) verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 3440).

Watermarks

"Arches"

Wikidata ID

Q75403692

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