Portrait of Mr. Arnaud on Horseback

This second version of the equestrian portrait of M. Arnaud, also from 1875 and also held at the Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Milan, demonstrates Manet's practice of working the same subject in multiple variants — reflecting both his commercial pragmatism and his formal interest in how small compositional changes transform a painting's character. Together the two versions show his range within a single motif, one perhaps more formally posed, the other more gestural. The equestrian format allowed Manet to explore full-body figure painting in an outdoor setting, combining portraiture with landscape — two genres he handled with equal confidence.

As with the companion version, Manet employs a fluid, abbreviated brushstroke style. The second version shows subtle differences in the horse's stance and the figure's orientation. The outdoor setting is suggested through atmospheric colour rather than descriptive detail, with greens and browns loosely applied.