Claude Monet, “Portrait of Victor Jacquemont”

Undoubtedly, one of the most admired canvases in Sachs’s collection was the portrait of Victor Jacquemont, painted by Monet, now an ornament at Kunsthaus in Zurich. The portrayed was a childhood friend of the painter. Only a year younger than Monet, he maintained friendly relations with him for many years, even when holding the position of sub-prefect and secretary-general of Nièvre in central France. Jacquemont also often bought paintings directly from Monet. However, it is unknown whether the image created in 1867 was commissioned by him or if it was an expression of gratitude from the young artist for supporting his creativity. The identification of the depicted individual is confirmed in a letter from the artist written 40 years after its creation.

Monet immortalized his friend during a stroll on a sunny day. The slender man, accompanied by a spotted dog, is dressed with imagination. He wears a yellow scarf tied under the collar, and a red flower is pinned to the lapel of his jacket. His head is protected from the sun’s rays, flooding the park path, by a black umbrella. The large-format canvas is painted with bold, vigorous brushstrokes, especially noticeable in the foliage interspersed with patches of light. The painting is one of the most beautiful early works of the artist and, thanks to its lighting effects, is often compared to paintings depicting famous luncheons on the grass.

The painting was displayed in the Lair-Dubreuil and Bernheim-Jeune galleries in Paris. In 1907, it was presented in the Berlin salon of Paul Cassirer. No later than 1911, the canvas found its place in the collection of Carl Sachs, who deposited it at Kunsthaus in Zurich in 1934. Five years later, it was acquired for the museum’s collections.

Painting Information:

oil on canvas, dimensions: 99 x 61 cm, current owner: Kunsthaus, Zurich.

Literature: Kunsthaus Zürich. Gesamtkatalog der Gemälde und Skulpturen, red. Ch. Klemm, F. Lentzsch, Zürich 2007, s. 237.