Emilie-Louise Delabigne (1848–1910), Called Valtesse de la Bigne
1879
Medium
Pastel on canvas
Dimensions
21 3/4 x 14 in. (55.2 x 35.6 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
29.100.561
Tags
Art Historical Context
In 1879, Édouard Manet, a French artist who bridged Realism and Impressionism, created intimate portrait of Emilieouise Delabigne, known as Valtesse de la Bigne (1848–1910). A celebrated courtesan of Second Empire Paris, Valtesse embodied the glamour and notoriety of the demi-monde, mingling with artists, writers, and elites. She later inspired Émile Zola's fictional character Nana, symbolizing the era's fascination with bold, independent women amid the opulent Belle Époque. Rendered in pastel on canvas—a medium Manet favored for its luminous, velvety textures—this small-scale work (21¾ × 14 ...
About the Artist
Edouard Manet · 1832–1883
Édouard Manet (1832-1883) was a French painter who played a pivotal role in the transition from Realism to Impressionism, often called the 'Father of Modern Art.' Born into a wealthy Parisian family, Manet defied his father's wishes for a legal career to pursue painting, studying under academic artist Thomas Couture. His revolutionary works 'Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe' and 'Olympia' (both 1863) scand...