Portrait of Alfred de Musset (1810-1857)
1854
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1854
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This is a simple portrait of a young man in a dark coat, his face lit softly from the side. His gaze is direct but tired, as if he’s just finished a long conversation. Bida usually painted scenes from North Africa, so this quiet sketch of a French poet is rare. It was probably made to honor Musset before illustrating his collected works. The loose, confident lines suggest Bida knew his subject well. To see more of Bida’s North African scenes, look up Alexandre Bida (French, 1823–1895).
