Shop art print and framed art Georges Clémenceau (1841-1929), homme politique 1879/80 by Edouard Manet
Subjects : Portrait
Keywords : 19th century, Impressionism, man, mid-length, moustache, portrait
(Ref : 53983) © Bridgeman Images
Georges Clémenceau (1841-1929), homme politique 1879/80 by Edouard Manet(Ref : 53983) © Bridgeman Images
Customise
Your art print
Georges Clémenceau (1841-1929), homme p... OF Edouard Manet
The artwork
Georges Clémenceau (1841-1929), homme politique 1879/80
Portrait de Clemenceau is an oil on canvas painted by Édouard Manet between 1879 and 1880. Manet painted two portraits of Georges Clemenceau. One is in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. The other, larger in size (116 × 94), is housed in the Kimbell Museum of Art in Fort Worth, Texas.
There are several hypotheses as to how Manet met the politician. Manet's younger brother, Gustave, was a city councillor in Paris. It was through him that the painter met the president of the council. It is also possible that the meeting took place at the home of Paul Meurice, or Émile Zola. The two portraits can be dated by two letters from Clemenceau, which set the dates for the posing sessions.
The portrait in Fort Worth was probably the first to be painted, and the one in the Musée d'Orsay the second. The first could have been painted in 1872 in the Luxembourg gallery, where the municipal council was meeting. The painting was originally entitled Portrait de Clemenceau à la Tribune. It is blurrier and less realistic than the second, and would have remained in the works for quite some time.
Georges Clemenceau was never happy with his portraits, but he really enjoyed posing with Manet, with whom he chatted at length: he found the painter very witty.
The portrait in the Musée d'Orsay, which is smaller in size, is stronger and more precise. "Manet transposed here the allusive qualities of his pen-and-ink drawing. In a few Japanese-style strokes, he was able to concentrate in the face and torso, with [...]
This artwork is a painting from the modern period. It belongs to the impressionism style.
« Georges Clémenceau (1841-1929), homme politique 1879/80 » is kept at Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France.