Exotic Flower (Woman in a Mantilla)

"Exotic Flower (Woman in a Mantilla)" by Édouard Manet (French, 1832-1883) is a significant example of the artist's engagement with graphic arts, created in 1868. This intimate portrait utilized the complex printmaking techniques of etching and aquatint, rendered in warm black ink on ivory laid paper. This precise combination of media allowed Manet to achieve both sharp linear detail and atmospheric tonal areas, particularly visible in the rich texture of the subject's lace veil, the mantilla. The print captures the enigmatic intensity of the woman's expression, fitting the allure suggested by the artwork’s title.

Manet viewed prints as essential for circulating his avant-garde imagery across France and internationally. This piece was produced collaboratively: published by Philippe Burty, a crucial figure in the etching revival movement, and accompanied by text written by Armand Renaud. The composition reflects the widespread fascination with Spanish culture, or Hispanisme, that permeated French artistic circles during the mid-nineteenth century, a motif frequently revisited by Manet. The woman’s traditional attire contrasted sharply with contemporary Parisian fashions, underscoring the "exotic" nature emphasized in the title.

This print exemplifies Manet’s pivotal role in modern printmaking, demonstrating how artists could adapt established reproductive media for highly personal artistic expression. The Art Institute of Chicago houses this important nineteenth-century French work in its permanent collection, providing scholarly access to the diversity of Manet’s oeuvre. Today, prints of this influential image are widely available and recognized through public domain art initiatives.