Man with a Pipe 1879

Marcellin Desboutin created this drypoint print, titled "Man with a Pipe," sometime in the late 19th century. During this period, the bohemian image—often associated with artists and intellectuals—gained prominence, challenging conventional bourgeois values. Desboutin, himself a figure within Parisian artistic circles, captures this counter-cultural identity. The way he gazes towards us, with a pipe clenched in his teeth, might signal his defiance, or perhaps the freedom of a man who lives by his own rules. The lack of idealization in this portrait is striking. Desboutin presents himself with an unvarnished honesty. In his own words inscribed on some impressions of this print, Desboutin notes "In my own way, I have tried to paint sincerity". This pursuit of sincerity can be seen as a reaction against the artifice of mainstream academic painting. In this quest, Desboutin offers us an intimate glimpse into the life of a man who chose to live on the margins, both reflecting and shaping the evolving cultural landscape of his time.