Artwork
George Moore (1852–1933) at the Café
George Moore (1852–1933) at the Café is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Édouard Manet. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a portrait, the iconography focuses on the individual's likeness and presence rather than allegorical symbolism or complex narrative meaning.
The work is a portrait depicting the Irish writer and critic George Moore (1852–1933) seated in a café setting. Created by Édouard Manet in 1878, the painting captures Moore as the sole subject, presenting him in a candid, informal manner characteristic of modern life scenes. As a portrait, the iconography focuses on the individual's likeness and presence rather than allegorical symbolism or complex narrative meaning.
The representation emphasizes Moore's identity as a cultural figure within the contemporary Parisian milieu, reflecting Manet's interest in portraying intellectuals and artists of his time. The composition centers on the sitter, with the café environment serving as a contextual backdrop that situates the subject within the social sphere of late 19th-century France.
Technique & Style
Édouard Manet executed George Moore (1852–1933) at the Café in oil paint on canvas during 1878, working on a support measuring 65.4 by 81.3 centimeters in a horizontal format. The work is classified as a painting and falls within the portrait genre, depicting a male sitter. As an oil on canvas, the medium allowed Manet the handling characteristic of his mature practice, with the relatively modest canvas size suiting the informal café subject.
The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and its provenance traces through Paul Arthur Chéramy, Albert Henraux, Walter Feilchenfeldt, M. Knoedler & Co., and Pinakos Inc.
History & Provenance
The painting George Moore (1852–1933) at the Café was created by Édouard Manet in 1878, as documented in the artist’s known oeuvre from that period. The work’s early provenance traces to Paul Arthur Chéramy, who appears as the first recorded owner in the documented chain. Subsequent owners included Albert Henraux, followed by Walter Feilchenfeldt, before passing to M. Knoedler & Co. and later Pinakos Inc.
By the time of these transfers, the painting had entered the art market, with Knoedler & Co. acting as a key intermediary in its circulation. The work has been classified as a portrait and is executed in oil on canvas, with dimensions recorded at 65.4 cm in height and 81.3 cm in width.
The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as recorded in the Wikidata entry for the work. Its provenance traces through several owners, beginning with Paul Arthur Chéramy and subsequently passing to Albert Henraux, Walter Feilchenfeldt, M. Knoedler & Co., and Pinakos Inc. The painting, executed in oil on canvas in 1878, is documented as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's holdings, though no specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available sources. No exhibition history beyond its current institutional placement is recorded in the cited material.
Overview
This oil painting by Édouard Manet portrays the Irish writer George Moore in a café setting. The artwork captures Moore in a relaxed, yet somewhat pensive, posture, seated at a table. Rendered with a sense of immediacy, the portrait offers a glimpse into a private moment. This piece is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Édouard Manet was a French modernist painter. He was one of the first 19th-century artists to paint modern life, as well as a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism.
