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A Painter

1855

Ernest Meissonier

(French, 1815–1891)
Culture
France, 19th century
Medium
oil on mahogany
Measurements
Framed: 39 x 33.5 x 6.5 cm (15 3/8 x 13 3/16 x 2 9/16 in.); Unframed: 27 x 21.1 cm (10 5/8 x 8 5/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Noah L. Butkin 1982.247
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
220 19th Century European
Print
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Did You Know?

The fashionable attire worn by the subject of this painting is from the previous century. In order to ensure authenticity in his paintings, Meissionier collected accessories from local costume markets to assemble a “work library.”

Description

Meissonier often depicted artists and musicians of the 1600s and 1700s engaged in their work. This artist is busy painting a small canvas depicting a nymph and satyr. The artist’s 18th-century costume—nearly 100 years out of date at the time of the painting’s creation—transforms the scene into a charming historical fiction. Meissonier exhibited the painting at the Paris Salon of 1857.
A vertically oriented oil painting depicts a man with light skin tone and dark hair tied back, seated on a carved wooden stool. Facing left, he leans toward a wooden easel, applying a brush to a painting of a reclining figure. He wears a black coat, white shirt, and pale breeches. His left hand holds a palette and brushes. The studio background contains a green table, dark wooden cabinet, and a small white bust.

A Painter

1855

Ernest Meissonier

(French, 1815–1891)
France, 19th century

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