Besnard, Albert

1849 – 1934
French

Albert Henri Besnard was born in Alencon, France, and began his artistic career as a painter. He discovered printmaking in 1872 during a stay in London where he came under the influence of Whistler and Legros.

Upon his return to France he pursued etching and engraving executing numerous portraits. But his best work were images of women and in 1886-7 he illustrated an album with 12 etchings and entitled “La Femme” on this theme.

Trips to Algeria, Morocco and Spain had an exotic influence on his work, but he always returned to his favorite subject – beautiful women!