Artwork
At the Races
At the Races is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Edouard Manet. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created around 1875, this oil on wood work by Édouard Manet depicts a casual horse‑racing scene.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1875, this oil on wood work by Édouard Manet depicts a casual horse‑racing scene. Four riders, dressed in everyday attire and hats, guide brown horses along a grassy track. The composition captures a fleeting moment of leisure, rendered in a manner that aligns with the artist’s late‑career interests in everyday life.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a genre scene of a modest race, emphasizing the informal atmosphere of a public pastime rather than a formal sporting event. The relaxed clothing of the participants suggests a focus on ordinary social activity, reflecting Manet’s interest in portraying contemporary urban experiences without overt narrative embellishment.
Technique & Style
Executed with loose, expressive brushwork, the work bridges Realist observation and emerging Impressionist concerns for light and movement. The oil medium on wood allows for a relatively flat surface, enabling rapid, gestural strokes that convey the motion of the horses and the texture of the grass while maintaining a degree of tonal subtlety.
History & Provenance
Attributed to the mid‑1870s, the piece belongs to a period when Manet was exploring subjects outside the traditional salon hierarchy. Though specific ownership details are scarce, the painting has been catalogued among Manet’s later genre works, illustrating his continued engagement with modern life during the rise of Impressionism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Édouard Manet didn’t have much time to make his mark—he died at 51—but he used every year.
