Marcellin Desboutin

Vocation

French painter, printmaker and writer. In 1857, he acquired a large property near Florence, Italy, 'the Ombrellino,' where he led a lavish lifestyle and became friends with Edgar Degas. In 1873 at the age of fifty years, ruined by speculations, Desboutin moved to Paris, where he and Degas frequently met—often joined by Édouard Manet—at the Café Guerbois and the café Nouvelle Athènes. At Manet's home he met Émile Zola. To make his living, he studied engraving and began a series of drypoint sketches while showing his paintings in exhibitions. He participated in the second exhibition of the Impressionists with six paintings, including Street Singer and The Cellist. Desboutin, wrote the play "Maurice de Saxe" (in collaboration with Jules Amigues) and a translation of Byron's "Don Juan: and a drama performed in the late 1880s, "Madame Roland." Desboutin posed for Manet, Renoir and Degas. He is depicted in Degas' famous 1876 painting L'Absinthe. His two sons, Andre Mycho and Tchiquine were also painters. He died in Nice at 6 p.m. on 18 February 1902. Link to Wikipedia biography