Victorine Meurent in the Costume of an "Espada"

Victorine Meurent in the Costume of an "Espada" is a significant print created by Édouard Manet French, 1832-1883, in 1862. This piece is classified as an early masterwork of modern printmaking, executed using the complex technique of etching in black, augmented by lavis applied in warm gray tones onto ivory laid paper. This combination demonstrates Manet’s early experimentation with mixed media in graphic art; the innovative application of lavis allows the artist to achieve tonal subtleties rarely seen in pure etching.

The subject is Manet’s iconic model, Victorine Meurent, depicted in a theatrical Spanish espada costume. The enduring fascination with Spanish culture and costumbrista subjects was widespread in France during the Second Empire, influencing artists across the country. Manet himself was deeply influenced by masters like Velázquez and Goya, and he often used Meurent to explore modern roles and challenging gazes in his work.

As one of his early explorations into graphic media, the print Victorine Meurent in the Costume of an "Espada" captures the intensity and ambiguity characteristic of the artist's nascent style. This important work of 19th-century French art resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Due to its historical significance and classification as a foundational piece of modern prints, high-quality images of this Manet print are frequently found in the public domain, allowing wide access to the output of the French master.