The Circle of the Rue Royale
1868 Musée d'Orsay
About this artwork
This large-scale oil painting depicts a group of twelve gentlemen members of the Cercle de la rue Royale gathered on the balcony of the Hôtel de Coislin in Paris. It is a quintessential example of high-society group portraiture during the Second Empire.
Did you know?
This painting is a masterful display of social documentation, capturing the elite 'dandy' culture of mid-19th-century Paris. Tissot was commissioned to paint these twelve friends together, and it is said that the men drew lots to determine who would be seated and who would be standing, adding a layer of chance to the meticulously staged composition.
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The Circle of the Rue Royale
James Tissot, 1868
