1867, 1990 | From the Vaults

Edouard Manet painted the 1867 execution of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico four times. This enigmatic short film imagines the French painter’s interior monologue as he works the scene’s details, offering a speculative window into his creative process. Comprising a single, uninterrupted shot, the film tracks the artist’s influences—from Goya to Ukiyo-e prints—and shows how he recreated the scene with models in the studio. Today, Manet’s canvases can be found at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the National Gallery, London, the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen; and the Städtische Kunsthalle, Mannheim. Directed by Ken McMullen. Learn more about the paintings here: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: National Gallery, London: Städtische Kunsthalle, Mannheim: