Edouard Manet(1832-1883): Baudelaire de Profil en Chapeau(c.1867)

In his essay 'Le Peintre de la Vie Moderne', the French poet and critic Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867) urged artists to explore contemporary subjects and city life.His friend Manet shared his ideas and followed this realist agenda.This portrait of the poet with it's simplified outline may be based on the the painted likeness featured in Musique aux Tuilleries (National Gallery London).Manet has captured the detached and elegant flaneur with amazing economy.

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