Paul Albert Besnard was a French painter and printmaker born in Paris in 1849. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and became a member of the Société des Artistes Français in 1874. Besnard was known for his portraits, landscapes, and still-life paintings, as well as his decorative work in ceramics and stained glass. He was also a skilled printmaker, creating etchings and lithographs throughout his career. Besnard won numerous awards and honors throughout his lifetime, including the Legion of Honor in 1887 and the Grand Prix at the Exposition Universelle in 1900. He was also a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts and served as the president of the Société des Artistes Français from 1913 to 1923. Besnard died in Paris in 1934, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most prominent artists of his time.