Jobarde: A Rediscovered Painting by Édouard Manet

Fig. 1 Jobarde, circa 1872-1875, oil on canvas, 33.7 x 19.9 inches (85.6 x 50.5 cm)

Introduction by Caitlin Kelly

Painter Édouard Manet is a towering figure in art history. His seismic contributions cannot be overstated. Through his use of simple compositional structures, clear bold colors, and a distinctively broad, flat handling of paint, Manet paved the way for the Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and many other modern artists by rejecting the standards of the Academy. In the course of his brief career lasting only between 1860 and 1883, Manet’s body of work reflected an astonishing variety of motifs and changes in style. Such diversity in Manet’s artwork reflects the artist’s far-reaching ambitions – his methods were constantly under review in pursuit of a truly modern style of painting.

Yet, it is this same commitment by the artist to experimentation that has proven a major stumbling block for art historical scholarship: the chronology of Manet’s life is not sufficiently documented, nor the sequence of his paintings completely clear. As a result, the potential for lost or previously unknown paintings by the artist to resurface in the modern day is a real one. But to claim attribution is easy – proving attribution requires a rigorous interdisciplinary analysis of a painting’s documented history, technique, and scientific analysis of style and materials. Presented in collaboration with the world-renown Atelier for Restoration & Research of Paintings (ARRS), ‘Jobarde: A Rediscovered Painting by Édouard Manet’ takes audiences through each step of the fine art authentication process in order to demonstrate how one can know and can verify the authenticity of Jobarde.

Of late, stories of questionable attribution and outright forgeries have come to dominate the public’s perception of the fine art industry. Headline-grabbing disputes of the authenticity of the notorious painting Salvator Mundi – attributed by some to Leonardo da Vinci – and the unforgivable trade in fake Modern & Post-War paintings by Knoedler Gallery made famous by Netflix’s documentary Made You Look impressed upon us the need for greater industry transparency. Through our inaugural exhibition, we raise questions about the art world’s current accepted procedures for fine art authentication and present a newer, more

comprehensive model for these investigations informed by art history, connoisseurship, and scientific analysis working in tandem to establish facts rather than opinions regarding a painting’s attribution.

Art history matters because it bears witness to important ideas about identity. The creation of a more accurate accounting of our collective history as told through art is an entirely worthwhile pursuit. Establishing best practices for fine art authentication and attribution is a small part of a much larger project of human self-understanding.

Many individuals have participated in the extensive research and production effort required to bring this very special exhibition to life. We would like to thank these collaborators and partners for their tireless support of ‘Jobarde: A Rediscovered Painting by Édouard Manet’. Firstly, we would like to thank the owner of Jobarde for his willingness to share his painting and its story with both Kelly-McKenna Gallery and our audience. We are also indebted to Atelier for Restoration & Research of Paintings (ARRS), particularly to Milko den Leeuw and Ingeborg de Jongh, for introducing me to story of Jobarde and for their willingness to share their extensive knowledge and expertise. This exhibition would not have been possible without their enthusiastic support. We would also like to thank the entire team at Pennell Construction. Their tireless work throughout the fall of 2022 is clearly evident in the stunning metamorphosis of 1308 Third Avenue, Suite 1A. Thank you to Bobby McKenna for the gallery logo design and to SpeedPro Monmouth County for our signage. Thank you also to Budget Print Center of Bloomfield for all of our printed materials including this catalog. This exhibition would not have been possible with you.

Caitlin Kelly Founder & Director Kelly-McKenna Gallery

Fig. 2 Jobarde, circa 1872-1875, oil on canvas, 33.7 x 19.9 inches (85.6 x 50.5 cm) Framed