DESBOUTIN, Marcellin Gilbert (1823-1902)

Desboutin was born in Cérilly, Allier on 26 August 1823. His parents were Barthélémy Desboutin, a bodyguard of Louis XVIII, and Baroness Anne-Sophie de Rochefort-Dalie Farges. He then traveled in Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy. In 1857, he acquired a large property near Florence, the Ombrellino, where he led a lavish lifestyle and became friends with Edgar Degas. Desboutin himself posed for Manet, Renoir and Degas. He is depicted in Degas' famous 1876 painting L'Absinthe. Provenance: Collection privée belge