Paul Verlaine on the Terrace
1888
French poet Paul Verlaine looks rather grumpy here, clutching a glass on a Parisian café terrace in 1888. Artist Ferdinand Bac uses scratchy, energetic lines to capture this candid moment, placing the famous writer next to a stern-looking woman who seems to be guarding her own massive mug. The sign 'Café Crème Tabac' in the corner sets the scene of a typical bohemian hangout. It’s a charming caricature that shows Verlaine not as a lofty literary genius, but as a regular guy wasting away the afternoon.
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