The Races

"The Races," created by Édouard Manet French, 1832-1883, is a compelling example of the artist's engagement with contemporary Parisian leisure and the spirit of modern life. Executed between 1865 and 1872, this work is a sophisticated black lithograph printed on chine collé, a specialized technique where a thin, delicate sheet of paper is adhered to a heavier support sheet during the printing process. This complex method allowed Manet to achieve rich, velvety blacks and nuanced textural effects, distinguishing the resulting prints from his more widely known oil paintings.

Manet frequently explored subjects drawn directly from the modern urban experience of mid-19th-century France. Horse racing, particularly at the famous Longchamp track in Paris, was a quintessential symbol of the Second Empire's social dynamism and a popular spectacle for the rising bourgeoisie. The dynamic composition captures the intense speed and blurred energy of the horses and jockeys mid-stride, showcasing the artist's innovative approach to rendering movement and atmosphere. Although initially conceived as an oil painting that Manet later destroyed, he reinterpreted the high-energy scene into this powerful graphic form.

As a significant example of French printmaking history, this piece confirms Manet’s foundational role in modern art beyond the canvas. The creation of The Races demonstrates Manet's innovative adoption of print media as a means of communicating the immediacy of contemporary existence. The work is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a valuable resource for studying 19th-century artistic techniques and the evolution of the graphic arts.