The Art Institute Chicago tells us that this painting is from a much larger portrait of a family that Manet decided to cut into sections, not all of which have survived. It was not the only time Manet decided to divide his canvases.
That said, Break the Cycle doesn’t refer to Manet’s predilection for splitting his work.
This poem continues my ekphrastic series based on “food” art. More on the rondelet form here.
Break the Cycle
take a long, cool drink of water
fill your jug again
take a long, cool drink of water
feel the seep as your body gets wetter
forgive the drought of your sin
the dry-life boredom, and then
take a long, cool drink of water
©elsp 2025
And the YouTube version:
Leave a Reply