Head of a Young Woman (Ellen Andrée)

Painted in 1878 on paper and now at the Musée d'Orsay, this head study of Ellen Andrée — a well-known actress and model who appeared in several major Impressionist works, including Degas's L'Absinthe — demonstrates Manet's working method on paper as a preparation or independent study rather than a finished exhibition work. Andrée was a favourite model for the Impressionist circle: cheerful, professionally reliable, and able to hold poses naturally. The Orsay holds it as part of its collection of works on paper, which document the preparatory practices of the Impressionist generation. This study is particularly valued for the directness and economy of its characterisation.

Working on paper rather than canvas allowed Manet an even more immediate response to his subject — the oil is applied thinly and directly, building a convincing head in minimal strokes. The warm ochre and rose flesh tones are placed against a light background, the features suggested with confident economy. The paper support contributes a slight texture that the thin paint allows to show through.