Works on Paper 2019 - Jean Luc Baroni

Fig.2 Title page of the Arts Gazette Le Rapin.
Fig. 3 Page 5 of the Arts Gazette Le Rapin, illustrating the
left half of the composition of Au Café-Concert.
In the present example, which he kept in his
possession, Manet may have added the extensive
and extremely lively white heightening later, once
it had been returned to him by the gazette, thereby
creating an even more striking and painterly graphic
work of art. The vivid strokes of white and strong
blocks and striations of black echo the rapidity, the
freedom and immediacy which characterise the
small painting this sketch recreates.
When Café Concert was exhibited at the Grand
Palais, Paris and the Metropolitan Museum, New
York, in 1983, Charles Moffett discussed in the
catalogue how Manet was running the risk of being
identified with the Impressionists by consenting to
hold the exhibition of his work at La Vie Moderne.
The gazette was directed by Renoir’s brother,
Edmond, and a selection of Monet’s works were
shown shortly after Manet’s exhibition 2 .
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