Albert Besnard

Besnard used the intimacy of etching to explore larger social issues, as seen in this image of an impoverished young woman crouched before a diminishing fire. In the original print, seen at left, the figure was contrasted visually and thematically with the finely dressed woman looking upward into the night sky.

After printing several impressions, Besnard dramatically altered the composition by physically cutting off the top and left side of the copper plate, creating a realistic, rather than symbolic, image of poverty.