Manet Seated, Turned to the Right 1864 - 1865

Edgar Degas etched this portrait of Édouard Manet, seated and turned to the right, sometime in the late 19th century. The motif of the seated figure has haunted artists for centuries. Here, the sitter's contemplative pose evokes the ancient tradition of the 'melancholic' or 'thinking' man, a posture we see echoed in sculptures of Greek philosophers. Manet’s downturned gaze and clasped hands suggest a moment of introspection. This pose, charged with emotion, can be traced back to antiquity, as seen in depictions of mourning figures on sarcophagi. Consider also the countless representations of saints in pious contemplation, all sharing this posture of reflection. The symbol of the seated figure as a wellspring of emotional states has flowed through time, its meanings shaped by the collective memory of generations, resurfacing, evolving, and forever engaging viewers on a profound level.