The Spanish Singer
The Spanish Singer, also known as Le Chanteur espagnol or Guitarrero, is a 1860 oil painting by French artist Édouard Manet. It is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it has been since 1949.
Painted in Manet’s studio, the scene shows a life-sized guitarist sitting on a bench and playing his guitar. The clothes and the subject mix Spanish ideas with a French touch; the model and costumes are not strictly Spanish. The painting reflects Spanish influence, especially the work of Diego Velázquez.
The Spanish Singer helped Manet gain acceptance at the Paris Salon in 1861, and it received praise from critics, including Charles Baudelaire and Théophile Gautier, who admired its color and bold brushwork. The success made Manet a leader of the avant-garde and drew younger artists to his studio.
Manet later produced other versions, including an etching and a watercolor. The watercolor is in the Dallas Museum of Art, and the etching was made with the printer Auguste Delâtre. Antonin Proust, a friend and owner of the original, probably asked for a copy.
The painting was originally hung very high, but its popularity led to it being moved lower. Gautier praised the work for its lively presence and true color.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 02:18 (CET).