Who painted Cléo de Mérode?

Cléo de Mérode was painted by Alfredo Müller in 1903.

Where can I see Cléo de Mérode?

Cléo de Mérode is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Cléo de Mérode?

Cléo de Mérode is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Cléo de Mérode?

Museum-quality prints of Cléo de Mérode are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Cléo de Mérode

Alfredo Müller , 1903

Cléo de Mérode is a print by the Impressionist artist Alfredo Müller. It dates from 1903 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Cléo de Mérode is a color etching portrait of the renowned dancer, created by Müller. Characterized by its use of densely bitten aquatint and irregular wiping, the work exemplifies the late 19th-century penchant for rich, painterly effects in printmaking.

Subject & Meaning

The subject, Cléo de Mérode (1875-1966), was a fashionable dancer of her time. The portrait captures her in a fancy outfit, conveying her elegance and status as a public figure.

Technique & Style

Müller employed a innovative technique for the era, combining densely bitten aquatint with irregularly wiped plates. This method produced broad, flat planes of color, simplifying the figure, emphasizing surface texture, and creating a shallow spatial depth.

History & Provenance

Part of Müller's corpus of approximately 100 color etchings, Cléo de Mérode represents the burgeoning popularity of color etching in the 1890s, following initial experiments in the 1870s.