Beginning of Round (Debut de round)

Art Historical Context

**Beginning of Round (Début de round)**, a dynamic etching by French artist André Dunoyer deonzac from 1922, captures raw energy of a boxing match at its tense outset. Segonzac, a prominent figure in the School of Paris, was renowned for his vigorous depictions of modern life, blending Impressionist influences with a robust, realist style. This print, part of the National Gallery of Art's Frank Crownin Collection, showcases two fighters poised in the ring, their forms rendered with fluid, incisive lines that evoke anticipation and movement. Created in the exuberant post-World War I era, the artwork reflects the cultural fascination with boxing as a symbol of vitality and spectacle in 1920s Paris. Segonzac, who had served as a soldier and war artist, brought a heightened sense of drama to his sports scenes, often drawing directly from live observations at venues like the Cirque de Paris. Etching's intaglio technique—scratching acid-resistant lines into a metal plate—allowed him to achieve rich tonal contrasts and spontaneous energy, distinguishing his prints from more static mediums. Housed in the NGA's Department of Modern Prints (CG-W), this piece highlights Segonzac's mastery of the graphic arts and his contribution to elevating everyday spectacles into fine art. Visitors will appreciate how it pulses with the era's restless spirit, inviting a closer look at the fighters' coiled tension.

About the Artist

André Dunoyer de Segonzac

André Dunoyer de Segonzac (1884–1974) was a leading French painter, draughtsman, engraver, and illustrator, born on 6 July in Boussy-Saint-Antoine near Paris, where he spent much of his childhood alongside time in the city. Defying his parents' initial hopes for a military career at Saint-Cyr, he pursued art, enrolling in 1900 at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris as a general student. He studied u...