Young Man in the Costume of a Majo
1863
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
74 x 49 1/8 in. (188 x 124.8 cm)
Classification
Paintings
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
29.100.54
Tags
Art Historical Context
Edouard Manet's *Young Man in the Costume a Majo* (1863) captures a striking portrait of a youthful figure dressed in the flamboyant attire of a Spanish *majo*—a dandy from Madrid's working-class culture known for his bold style and defiant swagger. Painted in oil on canvas at a generous 74 x 49 inches, this work showcases Manet's mastery of loose, expressive brushwork and flattened forms, hallmarks of his innovative approach that bridged Realism and the emerging Impressionist movement. Created during a pivotal year for Manet, when his scandalous works like *Olympia* were rejected by the Pari...
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...