Portrait of Philippe Burty

Philippe Burty (1830-1890) was one of the more progressive art critics and writers of his generation, writing for journals which focused on the innovations and developments in the visual arts. In particular, he was one of the earliest and most outspoken champions of the Impressionist movement and coined the term japonisme, reflecting the contemporary taste for Japanese art and culture in France. Although known for his formal society portraits, Carolus-Duran also produced many small, informal portraits of his friends and colleagues, including this one of Burty. The simple compositional format with the sitter in profile against a solid background harkens back to 15th and 16th century portraiture in the tradition of Bellini, Titian, and Holbein. In fact, Carolus-Duran named the latter painter as one of the primary influences in his work.