Artwork

Le gamin au chien, avec le cabas

Le gamin au chien, avec le cabas, by Edouard Manet, 1862
Le gamin au chien, avec le cabas, by Edouard Manet, 1862

Le gamin au chien, avec le cabas is a print by the Impressionist artist Edouard Manet. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Édouard Manet’s 1862 print titled *Le gamin au chien, avec le cabas* depicts a young boy clutching a small dog in one hand and a woven bag in the other. Executed in a sketch‑like manner, the composition isolates the figures against a largely empty background, emphasizing their informal, everyday presence. The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents a casually dressed child, his round face softened by a faint smile and a hint of stubble, suggesting a transitional age. The fluffy dog, tail curled beneath its body, and the simple bag convey a moment of ordinary life, inviting viewers to consider the quiet intimacy of daily routines in mid‑nineteenth‑century France.

Technique & Style

Manet employs rapid, sketchy lines to render the boy’s dark coat and the dog’s fur, creating a sense of immediacy and movement. The minimal background and loose handling of form reflect a departure from academic precision, anticipating the looser, observational approach that would later characterize Impressionist practice.

History & Provenance

Created in 1862, the print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition (specific details of its purchase are not publicly recorded). Its presence in an American institution highlights the early international interest in Manet’s work and the broader diffusion of French modernist prints.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Edouard Manet

Artist

Edouard Manet

Édouard Manet didn’t have much time to make his mark—he died at 51—but he used every year.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.