“This dramatic etching captures actor Philibert Rouvière in his renowned role as Hamlet, with sharp lines and deep shadows conveying the character's intense emotional state. It's a powerful tribute to a celebrated stage performance.”
A lone figure dominates this etching, an actor caught in the dramatic thrust of a performance. Philibert Rouvière, known for his intense portrayal of Hamlet, stands in theatrical lighting, his form stark against the shadowed backdrop. The sharp diagonals of his rapier and the dark shadows on the floor amplify his agitated state, hinting at the character's inner turmoil. This print, made after Rouvière's death, captures the raw energy of his stage presence. It is thought Rouvière's physically exaggerated Hamlet was inspired by Delacroix's lithographs, two of which are on display nearby. The dramatic rendering here suggests a tribute, immortalizing a celebrated performance.
- Artist
- Édouard Manet
- Date
- 1865
- Medium
- Etching and plate tone in black on ivory laid paper
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- Image: 29.9 × 16.1 cm (11 13/16 × 6 3/8 in.); Plate: 32.6 × 17.8 cm (12 7/8 × 7 1/16 in.); Sheet: 36.9 × 22.1 cm (14 9/16 × 8 3/4 in.)
- Collection
- Prints and Drawings
- Culture
- France
- Credit line
- John H. Wrenn Memorial Collection
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The way the actor's body seems to twist, full of tension.
The sharp, dark lines of the rapier, pointing downwards.
The deep shadows on the floor, creating a sense of drama.
The stark contrast between the actor and the dark background.
1 more detail is waiting.
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Édouard Manet
1832–1883 · FranceScandalous modernist who shocked Paris by painting everyday life and became the reluctant father of Impressionism.
Further Works by Manet
Beggar with a Duffle Coat (Philosopher)
1864 · Art Institute of Chicago
Beggar with Oysters (Philosopher)
1864 · Art Institute of Chicago
Fish (Still Life)
1864 · Art Institute of Chicago
Sea View, Calm Weather (Vue de mer, temps calme)
1864 · Art Institute of Chicago
Jesus Mocked by the Soldiers
1865 · Art Institute of Chicago
Boy with Pitcher (La Régalade)
1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
The Races at Longchamp
1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
The Man with the Dog
1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
More from Impressionism
More works to explore
Beyond Manet and Impressionism: works from the same years.
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Backgammon Players
Philip Webb · 1861 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Two Boats in a Storm
Léon-Victor Dupré · 1870 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Paris Street; Rainy Day
Kawabata Gyokushō · 1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
A Woman Seated beside a Vase of Flowers (Madame Paul Valpinçon?)
Edgar Degas · 1865 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Cliffs on the Sea Coast: Small Beach, Sunrise (Falaise au bord de la mer, vu Petite Plage, soleil levant)
Gustave Courbet · 1865 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Mirope Savati Gaye
Mariano Fortuny Marsal · 1865 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Mount Washington from the Intervale
William Hart · 1865
Same era · 1850s–1880s
In the Auvergne
Jean-François Millet · 1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt
Claude Monet · 1868 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Mountain View at Bormio (from Switzerland 1869 Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent · 1869 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Gustave Boyer (b. 1840) in a Straw Hat
Paul Cézanne · 1870 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Snow at Louveciennes
Camille Pissarro · 1870 · Art Institute of Chicago