Mademoiselle Isabelle Lemonnier (1857–1926)

Description

Mademoiselle Isabelle Lemonnier turns in profile against a pale blue-gray ground, her dark upswept hair giving the portrait a striking silhouette. Édouard Manet contrasts the softly colored face and bare shoulders with the light, visibly worked surface around them.

A small rose and green leaves at the lower right add a delicate note of color. The restrained palette and open handling keep attention on the sitter’s thoughtful gaze, lending the image a quiet, intimate presence.