The Races at Longchamp

Édouard Manet dared to compose this scene of a racetrack so that the throng of horses and jockeys thunders straight toward the viewer. In contrast to traditional sporting artists, who always showed races from the side with the horses in profile, Manet achieved a sense of expansive space with this thrilling vantage. The painting records the last moments of the race as the horses rush past the finish line, indicated by the pole with a circular top.

Racing was not one of Manet’s preferred subjects, despite his interest in depicting the pleasures of modern life; this is one of only two surviving paintings by the artist on this theme.