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The Execution of Maximilian

1868, published in 1884
Not on view
Napoléon III installed the Hapsburg emperor Maximilian to power in Mexico in 1864, an endeavor that quickly failed, ending with the execution of Maximilian by firing squad. News of the execution quickly reached Paris, and Manet, an ardent Republican, set to work on a series of works depicting the event. Inspired by photographs and newspaper reports, Manet’s composition, with its contrasting areas of light and dark, enhances the scene’s dramatic impact. Ivins noted that Manet "saw everything broadly and simply as befitted a temperament that habitually found ease in splotches of tone, and as often as possible evaded the discomfort and concentration required to focus attention upon a line." Meant for wide distribution, the lithograph was suppressed by the state.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Execution of Maximilian
  • Artist: Edouard Manet (French, Paris 1832–1883 Paris)
  • Date: 1868, published in 1884
  • Medium: Lithograph on chine collé; first state of three
  • Dimensions: Image: 13 3/8 x 17 1/4in. (34 x 43.8cm)
    Sheet: 17 1/2 x 23 3/4in. (44.5 x 60.3cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1921
  • Object Number: 21.48
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

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Cat and Flowers, Edouard Manet French, Etching and aquatint; third (final) state; posthumous edition
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The Smoker (Le Fumeur), Edouard Manet French, Etching on blue laid paper, final state (II)
The Smoker (Le Fumeur)
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Boy with Soap Bubbles, Edouard Manet French, Etching, lavis aquatint, and roulette on laid paper, second state of four
Boy with Soap Bubbles
Edouard Manet
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The Smoker (Le Fumeur), Edouard Manet French, Etching and drypoint on blue laid paper, only state
The Smoker (Le Fumeur)
Edouard Manet
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The Water Drinker, Edouard Manet French, Etching and drypoint
The Water Drinker
Edouard Manet
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