Lady with Fans (La Dame aux éventails)
Painting on canvas • Édouard Manet
Style & Movement
Impressionism / Realism (influenced by Japonisme)
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, utilizing rapid, loose brushstrokes, impasto highlights, and flat planes of color characteristic of transitional Impressionism.
Creation Period
1873
Dimensions & Format
113 cm × 166 cm (44.5 in × 65.4 in); Landscape orientation
Subject Description
A portrait of Nina de Callias (Marie-Anne de Villars) reclining on a sofa. Behind her is a wall decorated with Japanese fans, reflecting the late 19th-century French fascination with Japanese art. She wears an Algerian-style costume, including a dark bolero and a wide skirt, leaning her head on her hand in a relaxed, informal pose. A small dog is visible to the left.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent; well-preserved in a museum environment with minor natural craquelure consistent with age.
Estimated Market Value
$40,000,000 - $60,000,000 (estimation based on museum status and rarity of major Manet paintings)
Auction Estimate
$35,000,000 - $55,000,000
Provenance History
Formerly in the collection of Nina de Callias; donated to the French state; currently held in the collection of the Musée d'Orsay, Paris.
Art Historical Significance
A masterpiece of Manet's mature period, this work is a key example of 'Japonisme' in French art. It captures the spirit of the Parisian salon hostess Nina de Callias and demonstrates Manet's bridge between traditional realism and modern Impressionist technique.
Notable Features
The use of Japanese fans as a vibrant, flattened backdrop; the contrast between the dark mass of the sitter's dress and the brightly patterned background; signature 'Manet' visible in the lower right.
Condition Issues
Stable surface; light surface dirt and aged varnish; minor edge wear from the frame.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain stable humidity (45-55%) and temperature; use UV-filtered lighting; periodic professional surface cleaning if varnish yellows further.