The floor waiter
About this artwork
This portrait depicts a hotel worker, often referred to as a groom or floor waiter, rendered in Soutine's characteristic distorted, gestural style. It is part of a series of paintings the artist created portraying members of the Parisian hotel staff.
Did you know?
Soutine's series of hotel staff portraits was inspired by his fascination with the rigid hierarchies and uniforms of Parisian luxury hotels. He famously forced his models to remain perfectly still for hours in their uniforms, which he often insisted remain unwashed, resulting in highly textured and visceral depictions that transcend simple realism.
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The floor waiter
Chaïm Soutine, 1927
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