Girl with Cherries

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Girl with Cherries features a dramatically lit female figure, rendered in loose brushstrokes, emerging from a dark background. Rather than portraying her model as a contemporary woman, Eva Gonzalès dressed her as an 18th-century servant girl, denoted by her frilled linen cap; loose, striped gown; and rolled-up sleeves. Gonzalès, the daughter of an affluent and cultured family, was Édouard Manet’s first and only official pupil, and his influence is particularly clear in this painting: the use of theatrical lighting is reminiscent of his Spanish-style paintings, and the historical clothing reflects his predilection for dressing his models in costumes that suggest other personalities and professions.

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