Artwork
Child Holding a Tray (L'Enfant Portant un Plateau)
Child Holding a Tray (L'Enfant Portant un Plateau) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Edouard Manet. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Child Holding a Tray (L'Enfant Portant un Plateau) is an etching created by Edouard Manet in 1862 on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The etching depicts a child dressed in old-fashioned attire, carrying a tray with a cake and wine bottle, suggesting a domestic or service role. The child's simple yet neat clothing and poised stance imply a sense of responsibility.
Technique & Style
Manet employed rapid, sketchy lines to convey texture and movement, leveraging the expressive potential of black and white. The textured paper enhances the visual impact of the etching's lines and shadows.
Context
The work showcases Manet's skill with etching, a technique involving acid and metal plates to produce detailed prints.
Artist & collection
Artist
Édouard Manet didn’t have much time to make his mark—he died at 51—but he used every year.
Abbot Antonio Niccolini
Beggar Woman with Pan
Sig. Nicola Zabbaglia
Beggar Woman with Pan
A Gentleman Standing with His Arms Crossed
Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Polichinelle
Untitled
The Boy with a Sword
Child with Sword, Turned to the Left (L'Enfant à l'épée, tourné à gauche)
Study of the boy with his finger in his mouth for <i>Sunday Morning: Walk from Church</i>
The Boy Carrying a Tray