Getting up 1913

Curator: This is Paul-Albert Besnard's "Getting up," created in 1913. The print showcases Besnard's mastery of etching and ink, rendered in his signature impressionistic style. Editor: Ah, I love the raw energy of this! It's like catching a private moment, isn't it? All those scratchy lines—they give the scene this intimate, almost voyeuristic vibe. Makes me feel like I shouldn't be looking, but I can't help myself! Curator: Indeed, the frenetic mark-making adds a compelling dynamism to the scene. Observe the contrasting densities of ink: a deliberate arrangement contributing to the overall formal structure. Semiotically, this visual agitation alludes to the transitional nature of waking. Editor: That sounds very academic. But I can definitely see that in the woman figure stretching out of bed. But there's something haunting about the second figure. Is she there or just a memory or a bad dream maybe? The artist doesn't give us too many clues here! I love that mysterious tone that I can grasp from all the formal components you highlighted earlier. Curator: That secondary figure, rendered in fainter detail, introduces a psychological layer. It disrupts any singular, stable reading of the print. Its existence generates formal ambiguity that the semiotic structures intensify the feeling of transition. Editor: It's as if she's pulling back the curtain on not just sleep, but on another world. A darker one maybe? Who knows. But there is always an ominous vibe with people hanging in the periphery watching over you. Makes you think! I’m definitely feeling something beyond just "getting up" here. Besnard knew what he was doing. Curator: Undoubtedly. The formal elements in "Getting up" invite us into an intricate relationship, where technique, psychology, and artistic language intertwine to achieve a visually striking and narratively complex composition. Editor: So, next time I'm struggling to drag myself out of bed, maybe I'll spare a thought for Besnard's mysterious lady. Perhaps she is not just getting up. Curator: Precisely. She is emerging into being.