Portrait of M. Paul 1896

Émile Friant's 1896 *Portrait of M. Paul* depicts a man in a formal suit, standing against a muted green background. The subject's pose and attire suggest a portrait of a gentleman of standing. The painting, now housed in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nancy, is a fine example of French realism, a movement characterized by its focus on portraying everyday life and ordinary people with accuracy and detail. The painting's subdued colors and naturalistic brushstrokes evoke the era's penchant for realism, reflecting the artist's commitment to depicting the world as he saw it.