George Moore (1852–1933) at the Café
1878
Manet captures his friend, the Irish writer George Moore, in a moment of café boredom that feels incredibly modern. Slumped over a table with a bowler hat perched on his head, Moore rests his chin on his hand, staring off into the distance while a tall glass—likely absinthe—sits nearby. This loose, energetic sketch was likely done at the Café de la Nouvelle-Athènes, the favorite hangout for the Impressionist crowd in Paris. Moore was actually a huge champion of Manet's work and later wrote one of the first books about the artist, proving that sometimes the best art critics are the ones sitting right across the table.
Views: 12