Caricature d’un homme by Claude Monet

Claude Monet
1840-1926 | French

Caricature d'un homme

Signed "oMonet" (center right) Black chalk on grey paper heightened with white crayon

Claude Monet is undoubtedly one of the most important and beloved artists of all time, a pioneering force of the Impressionist movement. Before his fame in Paris, Monet was an extraordinary draftsman and caricaturist in his native Normandy. This magnificent and exceptionally rare example from 1857 is a masterwork that offers a seldom-seen glimpse into the clever mind of this great artist.

This expertly done caricature reveals the young Monet's sharp eye and impeccable draftsmanship that would later define his monumental career. His linework is confident and fluid, bringing the bespectacled gentleman to life with both incredible naturalism and good-natured humor. The man sports a comically large hat and a mustache that defies gravity, yet the portrait still exudes a remarkable true-to-life quality, embodying Monet's talent for capturing the essence of the world around him.

Monet’s explorations in caricature coincide with his attendance at the Le Havre school, where he studied drawing under Jacques-François Ochard. Of this early period in his artistic development, Monet later recalled: “I drew garlands in the margins of my books and covered the blue paper of my exercise books with the most fantastical ornaments, which included highly irreverent drawings of my masters, full-face or profile, with maximum distortion.” Monet began to gift these satirical images to his classmates, eventually garnering enough praise to sell them for a profit—about 20 francs—per portrait. His success led him to exhibit these caricatures at Gravier’s, the framer’s shop in Le Havre. Monet described watching the passersby gather at the window to smile and laugh, remarking, “I was just bursting with pride.” 

Very few of Monet’s iconic caricatures survive today, and the overwhelming majority are in major museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Musée d’Orsay and the Clark Art Institute. This drawing also has the distinction of bearing the desirable signature “O. Monet,” a rare occurrence as the artist only went by his formal name, Oscar-Claude Monet, during the beginning of his career. Importantly, this work will also be included in the Wildenstein Plattner Institute's forthcoming catalogue raisonné.

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Circa 1857

Paper: 7 5/8” high x 5” wide (19.37 x 12.70 cm)
Frame: 15 3/4” high x 13 5/8” wide x 2 1/4” deep (40.01 x 34.61 x 5.72 cm)

Provenance:
Private collection, France (c. 1960)
Private collection, France, inherited from the above (c. 2019)
M.S. Rau, New Orleans