Artwork
At the Races
At the Races is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Édouard Manet. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right: Manet
About this work
Technique & Style
The composition is characterized by its compact, horizontal format, measuring 12.
Executed in 1875, this work is an oil painting applied to a wood panel support. The composition is characterized by its compact, horizontal format, measuring 12.6 cm in height and 21.9 cm in width. As a genre scene, the piece utilizes the smooth surface of the panel to render a specific moment of contemporary life, typical of the artist's approach during this period.
The small scale of the wooden support suggests an intimate handling of the medium, focusing on a concise depiction of the subject matter rather than a large-scale narrative.
History & Provenance
Created in 1875, At the Races is an oil painting on wood panel by Édouard Manet. The work's documented ownership began in the collection of Camentron in Paris. It was subsequently sold to the dealer Durand-Ruel, who held the piece in both Paris and New York by 1899.
In 1913, Peter A. B. Widener acquired the painting for his residence, Lynnewood Hall, in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Upon Widener's death, the artwork passed to his son, Joseph E. Widener, through inheritance and a power of appointment. Joseph E. Widener formally gifted the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1942, where it remains part of the permanent collection. Exhibition history is not detailed in the available sources.
Context
At the Races reflects Manet's fascination with modern Parisian leisure, treating horse racing as a subject of contemporary urban spectacle. Scholarship situates the painting within the artist's broader engagement with scenes of modern life and his loosening of academic technique toward a more spontaneous handling. Its place in the National Gallery of Art's collection underscores its significance within nineteenth-century French painting.
Overview
Created around 1875, this oil on wood work by Édouard Manet depicts a casual horse‑racing scene. Four riders, dressed in everyday attire and hats, guide brown horses along a grassy track. The composition captures a fleeting moment of leisure, rendered in a manner that aligns with the artist’s late‑career interests in everyday life.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a genre scene of a modest race, emphasizing the informal atmosphere of a public pastime rather than a formal sporting event. The relaxed clothing of the participants suggests a focus on ordinary social activity, reflecting Manet’s interest in portraying contemporary urban experiences without overt narrative embellishment.
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.
