Baudelaire with hat
1862
Here we see a dapper profile of the famous poet Charles Baudelaire, captured by his close friend Édouard Manet in 1862. Sporting a towering top hat and a cravat, Baudelaire looks every bit the avant-garde icon, which fits perfectly since he was one of the first critics to fiercely defend Manet's controversial paintings against harsh public scrutiny. The text at the bottom, 'Peint et Gravé par Manet,' reveals that Manet created this print himself, serving as a stylish tribute to their deep artistic friendship just as the foundations of Impressionism were being laid.
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