Portrait of Emile Zola Édouard Manet (1832-1883)
Édouard Manet – Portrait of Emile Zola
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Painter: Édouard Manet
Location: Orsay Museum (Musée d’Orsay), Paris.
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Portrait of Emile Zola, painted by Édouard Manet in 1868, was painted from the writer himself, who came to the master’s studio several times a week to pose. Edouard Manet and Emile Zola were good friends, defending each other from the attacks of the press and critics. It should be noted that success came to the artist after he presented his portrait to the public, as well as several articles by Emile Zola devoted to the work of his friend, then unrecognized by anyone. On the canvas, Emile Zola sits half-turned at his desk in a soft armchair, he is pensive, his face well lit, as well as the book the writer is holding in his hands.
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Description of Eduard Manet’s Portrait of Emile Zola
Portrait of Emile Zola, painted by Édouard Manet in 1868, was painted from the writer himself, who came to the master’s studio several times a week to pose. Edouard Manet and Emile Zola were good friends, defending each other from the attacks of the press and critics. It should be noted that success came to the artist after he presented his portrait to the public, as well as several articles by Emile Zola devoted to the work of his friend, then unrecognized by anyone.
On the canvas, Emile Zola sits half-turned at his desk in a soft armchair, he is pensive, his face well lit, as well as the book the writer is holding in his hands. Apparently the reading in the thick almanac is so interesting that the writer has forgotten about the world around him and is now making sense of what he has just learned.
The setting itself disposes to reflection - on the table you can observe the creative chaos: the inkpot, stacks of books and papers, leaving almost no free space for anything other than what is already there. There is also a plate and a spoon on the table, which creates the illusion that the writer quite often forgets to eat and drink during his occupation, so he puts them as close to his workplace as possible.
The walls are darkened, but the paintings and clippings adorning them are clearly visible, the viewer can see part of the landscape depicting a bird on a branch, as well as another painting, or rather their accumulation in one frame. On the walls, as well as on the table, a certain creative chaos, the location of which is well known to the author of the painting himself and his thoughtful writer friend.
Édouard Manet’s fears of dying in obscurity were not justified, very soon he came to deserved fame, and the portrait painted from Emile Zola became revered as one of the best of his portrait work during his lifetime, both the author and his protagonist.
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The setting is rich with symbolic details that hint at Zolas interests and literary world. Behind him, a Japanese print is displayed prominently, featuring a figure in a traditional kimono, and to its right, other smaller framed artworks that appear to be engravings of people. His desk is cluttered with books, papers, writing implements including an inkwell and quill, and a decorative bowl. To the left, a screen with a delicate painting of a bird on a branch adds an element of artistic refinement to the environment.
The subtexts of the painting revolve around Zolas identity as a writer and intellectual, and Manets acknowledgment of his work. The presence of Japanese art signifies the influence of Japonisme, a popular trend among Parisian artists and intellectuals in the late 19th century, which Zola certainly would have been aware of and potentially engaged with. The books and writing materials directly point to his profession and dedication to literature. The entire composition conveys an atmosphere of intellectual richness and artistic sensibility, positioning Zola as a key figure in the cultural landscape of his time. The portrait itself can be seen as Manets tribute to Zola, who was a staunch supporter of the Impressionist movement and Manets work.