Hat and Guitar
1862
Manet captures a casual, almost discarded arrangement of a wide-brimmed hat topped with a smaller dark cap, resting on a guitar. The scratchy, energetic lines suggest a quick sketch, capturing the essence of Spanish style which was all the rage in Paris during the 1860s. This piece shows Manet's early fascination with Spanish themes, a precursor to his later masterpieces that would help launch the Impressionist movement. It feels like a snapshot of a musician's break, full of relaxed atmosphere, with a huge amount of negative space that feels surprisingly modern.
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