The Balcony facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Balcony |
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| Artist | Édouard Manet |
| Year | 1868 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 170 cm × 124 cm (67 in × 49 in) |
| Location | Musée d'Orsay, Paris |
The Balcony is a famous oil painting created in 1868 by the French artist Édouard Manet. It was shown to the public for the first time at the Paris Salon in 1869. This painting features four people standing on a balcony.
On the left, you see Berthe Morisot, who later married Manet's brother. In the middle is the painter Jean Baptiste Antoine Guillemet. On the right stands Fanny Claus, a musician who played the viola. The fourth person, seen in the background, might be Leon Leenhoff, Manet's stepson. Today, you can see The Balcony at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
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What Inspired the Painting?
Manet's painting was inspired by another artwork called The Majas at the Balcony. This earlier painting was created by the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya. Manet made The Balcony around the same time as another painting, Luncheon in the studio.
The three main people in The Balcony were all friends of Manet. They look like they are not connected to each other. Berthe Morisot, on the left, seems like a dreamy and distant person. Fanny Claus, the young violinist, and the painter Antoine Guillemet appear to be uninterested. The boy in the background is Manet's stepson, Léon. Behind the balcony railings, you can spot a hydrangea flower and a dog playing with a ball.
A Study for the Painting
Manet often made practice sketches or paintings before finishing a big artwork. A study for The Balcony is called The Portrait of Mademoiselle Claus. This painting is now kept at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England.
The person in this portrait is Fanny Claus. She was a very close friend of Manet's wife, Suzanne Leenhoff. This unfinished portrait helped Manet prepare for the final version of The Balcony.
Where Has the Painting Been?
After Manet passed away in 1883, the portrait of Mademoiselle Claus was bought by another artist, John Singer Sargent. This portrait had only been shown to the public once since it was painted in 1868.
In 2012, the Ashmolean Museum worked hard to gather enough money to buy it. They succeeded, and now the painting is permanently part of a public collection in the United Kingdom. This means many people can enjoy seeing it.
Images for kids
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The Majas at the balcony, by Francisco Goya
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Portrait of Mademoiselle Claus, by Edouard Manet
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Luncheon in the studio, Manet
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See also
In Spanish: El balcón (obra de teatro) para niños
