The Little Girl
1861–62
Medium
Etching and drypoint on blue laid paper; final state (II)
Dimensions
plate: 8 1/8 x 4 9/16in. (20.6 x 11.6cm) sheet: 14 1/2 x 9 1/4in. (36.8 x 23.5cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1921
Accession Number
21.76.9
Tags
Art Historical Context
Edouard Manet's *The Little Girl* (1–62) is a delicate etching and drypoint on laid paper, capturing the tender innocence of a young child in one of the artist's early forays into printmaking. Measuring just 8 1/8 x 4 9/16 inches on the plate, this final state (II) exemplifieset's ability to translate his bold, modern vision from canvas to paper. As a pioneer bridging Realism and Impressionism, Manet used etching—a process involving acid-bitten lines—for precise, fluid contours, enhanced by drypoint's soft, velvety burr for subtle textures and depth. Created during a pivotal period when Manet...
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...