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The Traveler

A work made of oil on canvas.
© 2018 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

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  • A work made of oil on canvas.

Date:

c. 1890

Artist:

Jacques Emile Blanche (French, 1861–1942)

About this artwork

For this large-scale depiction of his favorite model, Désirée Manfred, Jacques-Emile Blanche composed a dramatic portrait teeming with narrative potential. A letter lies at the sitter’s feet alongside the glove she would have removed to open it. Her stoic expression suggests that its contents delivered grave, even ominous news. Rather than capturing a real moment in time, however, this painting plays with theatrical props, costume, and background scenery to transform its sitter into a character—the elegant and mysterious traveler. Over the course of his career, Blanche captured Manfred in various guises, both female and male. Such genre portraits were popularized by earlier painters, including one of Blanche’s greatest influences, Édouard Manet.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Painting and Sculpture of Europe

Artist

Jacques Emile Blanche

Title

The Traveler

Place

France (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1885–1895

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

201.3 × 139.7 cm (79 1/4 × 55 in.)

Credit Line

Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection

Reference Number

1913.467

Copyright

© 2018 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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