“The Journalist Henri Rochefort” is an oil on canvas painting created by Edouard Manet in 1881 in Paris, France. As a representative piece of the Realism art movement, this portrait captures the likeness of Henri Rochefort and measures 81.5 x 66.5 cm. This notable work is housed in the Kunsthalle Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany.
The artwork depicts a man with a contemplative and resolute expression. His hair appears somewhat tousled, and he sports a goatee. He is dressed in formal attire, characterized by a dark suit, a white shirt, and a bow tie. The subject’s arms are crossed confidently, further accentuating his determined demeanor. The background is plain, ensuring that the focus remains solely on the subject. The artist employs a restrained palette, using subtle variations in tone to emphasize the textures of the fabric and the subject’s facial features. This restrained yet powerful portrayal aligns with the principles of Realism, grounding the subject in a truthful and unembellished representation.
