Eva Gonzalès

Exhibition at the Petit Palais, Paris, 15 September 2026 – 24 January 2027

Born into a cultured middle-class family, Eva Gonzalès (1849–1883) benefited from an environment conducive to the development of her artistic vocation from a very early age. Trained in Charles Chaplin’s studio, the young painter soon broke free from his influence to develop her own personal and sensitive style.

Her meeting with Édouard Manet in 1869 marked a decisive turning point in her career: she became his sole pupil and one of his models, whilst resolutely pursuing an independent career. Eva Gonzalès exhibited regularly at the Salon between 1870 and 1883, without joining the Impressionist group. Despite a favourable critical reception during her lifetime and a retrospective at the La Vie moderne salons in Paris in 1885, two years after her untimely death, her work gradually fell into obscurity.

This catalogue of the first solo exhibition dedicated to Eva Gonzalès aims to restore her to her rightful place in art history, alongside Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt and Marie Bracquemond. It highlights her subtle body of work, characterised by intimate scenes, portraits and Normandy landscapes. Bringing together nearly 100 works – paintings, pastels and engravings – and enriched with essays by international experts, the volume reveals a unique and modern body of work.