At the Café (unpublished plate)

At the Café (unpublished plate) (1874) is a compelling and rare print by the pivotal French modernist, Édouard Manet, produced in collaboration with the Parisian firm Lefman et Compagnie. Classified as a print, this work emphasizes Manet’s commitment to exploring diverse mediums beyond traditional oil painting, reflecting his focus on the reproducibility and dissemination of modern imagery. Executed using Gillotage in black on delicate ivory China paper, this specific technique is an early form of photo-relief etching developed in France during the 19th century. Gillotage allowed for the mechanical reproduction of line drawings, making it an innovative choice for an artist focused on the immediacy of contemporary life.

The subject matter, the anonymous, shared space of the Parisian café, exemplifies Manet’s lifelong dedication to documenting the rapidly changing social landscape of the Second Empire. Like many of his celebrated paintings, this piece captures figures gathered in a public domain setting, reflecting the new metropolitan culture defining French society. Given its designation as an unpublished plate, this particular image provides scholars and enthusiasts with a valuable insight into the artist’s evolving graphic processes and his engagement with commercial printing methods around 1874.

This significant example of 19th-century French graphic arts demonstrates how Manet translated the fleeting immediacy of a sketch into a reproducible format. The careful translation of tone and line quality preserved on the fragile China paper speaks to the technical precision of the printers. This key work documenting modern Parisian life is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering access to a crucial moment in the history of fine art prints and reproduction techniques.