A chic young woman in a day dress with floral accents holds a parasol against a background of exuberant foliage. She looks straight ahead, a picture of poise and detachment even as she seems fully aware of the viewer’s admiring gaze. Representing aspiring Parisian actress Jeanne Demarsy as the embodiment of Spring, this portrait debuted at the last major public exhibition of Manet’s life, the Paris Salon of 1882. For more than two decades, Manet’s paintings were rejected by the Salon or met with controversy; Spring was the most unalloyed success of the artist’s Salon career, a career that ended tragically a year later when Manet died of causes related to syphilis.
Appealing to critics primarily on account of Jeanne’s charm, Spring also showcased Manet’s mastery of his medium. The painting exhibits a marvelous range of brushwork, from the thin, delicate floral touches on the dress to the smooth handling of Jeanne’s face and the broad, sketch-like strokes of the backdrop. The painting’s sensual handling and bright, vibrant palette evoke the pleasures of the season it celebrates.
When composing Spring, Manet had in view both the latest fashion trends and old artistic traditions. An avid connoisseur of feminine couture, he pieced together Jeanne’s ensemble himself by scouring dressmakers’ and milliners’ shops. Posing his model in the studio, however, he referred to portrait conventions of the early Italian Renaissance, presenting her half-length, in profile, and against a mass of greenery. More than just an ephemeral “fashion-plate,” Manet’s archetypal Spring was conceived as a picture for the ages, summarizing his modern epoch through the figure of a beautiful Parisienne.
Credit Line: Text courtesy of the Getty’s Open Content Program (CC BY 4.0).
Product Information
Expect crisp detail and vivid color from our giclée process fine art prints. We use archival pigment inks on cotton fiber paper to achieve a wide color gamut, deep blacks and beautiful tonal transitions. Unlike posters, they will not fade or yellow, but maintain their original quality for as long as you own them.
How to Frame
Historical artworks were produced in whatever shapes and sizes best suited the artists and their patrons, and these rarely correspond to the proportions of modern, mass-produced frames. Most reproductions sold on the web are cropped to an arbitrary standard, compromising the integrity of the original artwork. We solve this by using accent borders to make up any differences in proportion.Framing may be as simple as inserting the print into a standard size frame with the borders showing. In many cases, our customers choose to have them matted. Borders allow space for framers to mount the print while covering little, if any, of the artwork. Our images are sized to provide desirable mat widths in common frames.Sizes 9” x 12”, 12” x 16”, and 16” x 20” are designed to be matted in larger frames, such as 11” x 14”, 16” x 20” and 20” x 24”, respectively. Larger prints may be matted in frames of equal size, the borders corresponding to the shape of the mat. Where the artwork is unusually square or narrow, other sizes may be preferred.If our sizing does not meet your requirements, we provide customization free of charge. Please contact us to discuss the details.
Shipping and Returns
All orders ship within one business day. The following services are available at checkout:
United States
Shipping Class |
Price |
Estimated Delivery Window |
USPS First Class Parcel |
Free |
3 – 5 business days |
USPS Priority Mail |
$3.99 |
2 – 4 business days |
USPS Priority Mail Express |
$29.99 |
1 – 3 days, guaranteed |
Canada *
Shipping Class |
Price |
Estimated Delivery Window |
USPS First Class International |
$11.99 |
1 – 3 weeks |
USPS Priority Mail Express |
$56.99 |
3 – 5 business days |
International, Excluding Canada *
Shipping Class |
Price |
Estimated Delivery Window |
USPS First Class International |
$17.99 |
1 – 4 weeks |
USPS Priority Mail Express |
$62.99 |
3 – 5 business days |
* International orders may be subject to import taxes at time of delivery.
Returns Policy
If you are unhappy with your order for any reason, you are welcome to return it within 60 days for a full refund. Please contact us and return your item(s) to:
The Ibis
809 Grant Street
Endicott, NY 13760
Your return will be processed on receipt.