Rediscovered chalk drawing of child attributed to Édouard Manet
Exclusive: Work, whose subject resembles street urchin in masterpiece by artist, chanced upon in private collection
TL;DR
- A red chalk drawing of a child, found in a private Italian collection, is attributed to Édouard Manet by art historian Emily Beeny.
- The drawing's style, including light/shadow transitions and hand features, aligns with Manet's known work.
- UV analysis revealed a faded Manet studio stamp, supporting the attribution.
- The drawing measures 20.5cm by 17.5cm and is squared for transfer, but no corresponding artwork is known.
- The subject may be Alexandre, a youth who posed for Manet, or a young girl potentially depicted in 'The Old Musician'.
- The drawing was sold twice in the 1930s in Germany and Switzerland but was not previously published.
- Beeny and Francesco Baccanelli will publish their findings in the October issue of the Burlington Magazine.