plate no. 8190
Races at Longchamp
Edouard Manet, 1867
recreation guide
Races at Longchamp (1867) is a seminal work in Manet’s exploration of modern urban life, depicting the spectacle of horse racing at the Longchamp racecourse. The painting is distinctive for its rejection of traditional deep-space perspective in favor of a flattened picture plane that emphasizes the materiality of the paint itself. The composition is divided into two distinct zones: the left side features a clearer, wealthier crowd, including a portrait of Manet’s wife, Suzanne Leenhoff, and a figure with binoculars borrowed from William Powell Frith’s The Derby Day. The right side is dominated by the Tribune Publique, which creates a sense of speed and recession while reinforcing the canvas's flatness (Source 1). Manet’s technique here exemplifies his shift toward an alla prima method, using opaque paint on a light ground to capture the immediacy of the scene. The brushwork is deliberately loose and varied: horizontal strokes define the track and hilltop, diagonal strokes construct the hillside and trees, vertical strokes delineate the fence and thinner trees, and varied dabs of paint render the sky and crowd (Source 1). This approach, described by critics as having a 'surprisingly elegant awkwardness' and 'gentle brutality,' challenges the viewer to perceive the painting as a constructed image rather than a transparent window into reality (Source 4).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (opaque) | Primary medium for direct application | Standard tube oil paints |
| Light-toned ground canvas | Manet rejected dark grounds in favor of light grounds to facilitate his alla prima technique | Pre-primed linen or cotton canvas with white or off-white gesso |
| Linseed oil or similar drying oil | Binder for pigments; provides flexibility and rich color | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Turpentine | Thinner for initial layers or adjusting consistency | Odorless mineral spirits or turpentine |
| Assorted brushes (flat and filbert) | To execute varied stroke directions (horizontal, diagonal, vertical, dabs) | Synthetic or natural hair brushes of various sizes |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a canvas with a light-toned ground. Manet rejected the traditional studio technique of building successive layers on a dark-toned ground, opting instead for a light ground that supports his direct, opaque painting method (Source 4). This preparation is crucial for achieving the luminous quality and flatness characteristic of his work.
underdrawing
Sources do not explicitly describe Manet’s underdrawing process for this specific work. However, given his adoption of the alla prima method and the 'sketch-like passages' noted in his practice, it is likely that any underdrawing was minimal or executed directly in paint to maintain spontaneity (Source 4). Avoid detailed charcoal sketches that might constrain the loose brushwork.
underpainting
Manet’s technique for this period involved direct painting (alla prima) rather than extensive underpainting. He applied opaque paint directly onto the light ground, allowing for completion in fewer sittings and emphasizing the surface quality of the paint (Source 4). Do not attempt to build up translucent glazes in the traditional Renaissance manner.
color palette
Beige
Lead white, yellow ochre, touch of raw umber
The dress of the second woman spectator (Suzanne Leenhoff) in the bottom left (Source 1)
Pink
Lead white, vermilion or rose madder
The banner flying over the crowd in the background (Source 1)
Varied earth tones and greens
Yellow ochre, raw umber, viridian, lead white
The hill, trees, and track, rendered with specific directional strokes (Source 1)
Light sky tones
Lead white, cerulean blue, touch of yellow
The sky, rendered in varied dabs of paint (Source 1)
composition
The composition is split between a clearer left side depicting the wealthier crowd and a right side dominated by the Tribune Publique. The left side includes specific figures: two women spectators (one being Suzanne Leenhoff in beige) and a man with binoculars in the background. The right side features the Tribune Publique standing above the crowd, which emphasizes the flatness of the canvas while suggesting speed and limitless space (Source 1). The track is defined by horizontal strokes, while the hill and trees use diagonal and vertical strokes respectively, creating a structured yet loose visual rhythm (Source 1).
step by step
first pass→refining→finishing
first pass
step 01
Block in the major compositional elements: the track, the hill, the Tribune Publique, and the crowd masses. Use the light ground to your advantage, leaving areas unpainted if they represent highlights.
Tip — Focus on the overall structure rather than details. Remember the left side is clearer than the right.
Alla prima blocking
step 02
Apply horizontal strokes to define the track and the top of the hill. Use diagonal strokes for the rest of the hill and the large tree behind the horses. Use vertical strokes for the thinner trees and the fence.
Tip — The direction of the stroke is as important as the color. Horizontal strokes suggest the flat track; diagonal strokes suggest the slope of the hill.
Directional brushwork
refining
step 03
Render the sky and the crowd using varied dabs of paint. Do not blend these areas smoothly; maintain the distinctness of the brushstrokes to emphasize the surface of the picture plane.
Tip — Avoid over-working these areas. The 'sketch-like' quality is intentional and characteristic of Manet’s modern style.
Loose brushwork
step 04
Detail the specific figures on the left: the two women spectators (ensure the second woman is in beige) and the man with binoculars in the background. Add the pink banner flying over the crowd.
Tip — These details anchor the scene in reality while the rest of the painting remains abstracted. The man with binoculars is a direct reference to Frith’s work.
Specific detail insertion
finishing
step 05
Review the contrast between the clearer left side and the more obscured right side. Ensure the Tribune Publique stands out as a flat, architectural element that catches the eye.
Tip — Check that the flatness of the canvas is emphasized, particularly around the Tribune, to align with Manet’s modernist approach.
Compositional balance
critical techniques
Alla Prima
Manet used opaque paint on a light ground, allowing him to complete the painting in a single sitting or few sittings. This method rejects the layered approach of his training and emphasizes the immediacy of the image (Source 4).
Directional Brushwork
Specific stroke directions are used to define forms: horizontal for the track, diagonal for the hill, vertical for fences/trees, and dabs for the sky/crowd. This technique constructs the image through paint application rather than line drawing (Source 1).
Flattening of Space
Manet emphasizes the flatness of the canvas, particularly through the rendering of the Tribune Publique, which acts as a barrier to deep space while suggesting recession. This challenges traditional perspective (Source 1).
common pitfalls
- →Attempting to blend the paint smoothly to create a realistic illusion. Manet’s work is characterized by 'sketch-like passages' and visible brushstrokes that draw attention to the surface of the painting (Source 4).
- →Using a dark ground. Manet specifically rejected the dark-toned ground technique of his teacher Thomas Couture in favor of a light ground (Source 4).
- →Over-detailing the crowd on the right side. The left side is described as clearer, while the right side is more obscured and dominated by the Tribune, creating a contrast in clarity (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the directional nature of the brushstrokes. The specific orientation of strokes (horizontal, diagonal, vertical) is crucial to the construction of the forms in this painting (Source 1).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Exact pigment recipes for Manet’s specific colors in this painting are not provided in the sources.
- ·The specific underdrawing method (if any) used for Races at Longchamp is not described.
- ·The exact dimensions of the canvas are not provided, which may affect the scale of the brushstrokes.
- ·The specific lighting conditions (time of day, weather) are not explicitly detailed beyond the general 'photographic lighting' mentioned in Manet’s general style (Source 4).
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to General principles of using oil paint to express feeling rather than just deceive the eye.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: The Races at Longchamp↗
- part 4 — applied to Composition details, specific figures (Suzanne Leenhoff, binoculars man), directional brushwork, and the role of the Tribune Publique.
Wikipedia bio — Édouard Manet↗
- part 12 — applied to Alla prima technique, use of light ground, opaque paint, and the aesthetic of 'sketch-like passages' and flatness.
- part 8 — applied to Context of Manet’s engagement with modern life and genre painting.
Wikipedia: Genre painting↗
- part 1 — applied to Understanding the genre of the work as depicting everyday life and ordinary people.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 1 — applied to General properties of oil paint and drying oils.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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