Claude Monet
Portrait of Père Paul, also known as Monsieur Paul or The Chef shows the chef and owner of a restaurant and hotel, Paul Antoine Graff, who was the landlord of Monet during his visit to Pourville on the English Channel. His special dish was galettes (Breton crusty cakes).
Monet painted a portrait of chef Paul Antoine Graff wearing his white chef's hat and jacket. In the lower part of the painting, the figure fades into the light grey background, resulting in an oval shaped composition. Monsieur Paul has turned his head towards his right shoulder and looks into the direction of the left edge of the painting. His dark eyes do not focus on anything specific, and he appears to look just ahead of himself into the emptiness. Monet himself described the painting as an esquisse curieuse (curious sketch).
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P.S. If there is a cook, there is cooking! Check our selection of cooking in paintings here!