The Smoker (Le Fumeur) 1866 - 1867

Edouard Manet made this print, titled "The Smoker", using etching. It depicts a working man with a full beard, cap, and pipe. The image participates in a French cultural fascination with working-class figures, something that was becoming increasingly common in the 19th Century art world. Manet and other artists presented modern life through the lens of class and labor. As the art world became more institutionalized, art became more enmeshed with class identity. Some artists, such as Manet, began to embrace this new reality. Understanding the image requires understanding the politics of representation in 19th-century France. We can look to sources such as popular culture and journalism of the time to understand the social significance of images like "The Smoker". By studying these images, and the archives that document them, we can better understand the ways in which art both reflects and shapes social and political realities.