Marcellin Desboutin (1823-1902), Portrait of a Young Boy, Signed French Impressionist Oil Painting

Portrait of a Young Boy

A young boy looks out with dark, lively eyes, his curly brown hair falling loosely around his face. He wears a white collar over a blue garment, set against a muted olive and brown background. The brushwork is direct and confident, with visible strokes building form through color rather than line. Light catches the left side of his face, and the rest dissolves into warm shadow. The paint is applied with economy, leaving the canvas texture visible in places, especially around the collar and background.

About the Artist

Marcellin Desboutin (1823-1902) was a French painter, printmaker, and etcher active in Paris during the second half of the 19th century. He exhibited at the Salon and took part in the second Impressionist exhibition of 1876. Desboutin was a close associate of Edouard Manet, Edgar Degas, and other members of the Impressionist circle. He is known for his portraits and his drypoint etchings. Degas portrayed him in the well-known painting "L'Absinthe" (1876), seated at a table at the Cafe de la Nouvelle-Athenes.