The Smoker, 1866

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Oil on canvasexpand_more

Gift of Bruce B. Daytonexpand_more  68.79

On View in Gallery 351expand_more

This working-class character was one of many ordinary Parisians painted by Manet in the 1860s. A year before making this portrait, Manet had traveled to Madrid, Spain, where he was reportedly "enchanted" by the naturalistic depictions of common people painted by Diego Velásquez in the 1600s. Manet emulated the Spanish master in his own series of everyday scenes while adding a modern twist: elevating the images to the impressive scale of a formal portrait.

This is a Louis XIV revival frame from the nineteenth century, a Gift of the Douglas and Mary Olson Frame Acquisition Fund. Frames of this style are characterized by their leaf and floral motif. Here these sculptural elements appear to be growing and reaching beyond the frame.

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Manet, The Smoker (#454)
Details
Title
The Smoker
Artist Life
1832 - 1883
Role
Artist
Accession Number
68.79
Provenance
M. Pertuiset, Paris, 1866-1888; ('Tableaux modernes,' Paris, Hotel Drouot, April 27, 1888, p. 11, no. 39, bought in). (Pertuiset sale [Tual, Escribe], Paris, June 6, 1888, lot 1 as 'La Bonne Pipe' [it figured in 2 sales]). [1] Isidore Bloch, Paris in 1888. (Durand-Ruel, Paris).· E. F. Milliken, New York. (Durand-Ruel, New York). [2] Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney, New York by 1907. Mrs. G. MacCullough Miller (Flora Whitney Miller), New York. (Osborne Gallery, New York, purchased from Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, October 14, 1965, p. 66, no. 114). (Tribune Gallery', New York). Private Collection, Switzerland by 1968. (Galerie Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland in 1968); Bruce B. Dayton, Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1968; gift to MIA in 1968. [1] 'Catalogue de tableaux de Pertuiset et des oeuvres de Manet, formant sa collection particuliere,' Paris, June 6, 1888, p. 1, no. 2. [2] Purchased from his sale, American Art Association, New York, February 14, 1902, no. 18, repr. in auction catalog (see object file). American Art Association becomes Sotheby's Parke Burnett.
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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