The Races at Longchamp

Édouard Manet composed this scene of a racetrack so that the throng of horses and jockeys thunders straight toward the viewer. In contrast to traditional sporting artists, who always showed races from the side with the horses in profile, Manet achieved a sense of expansive space with this thrilling perspective. The painting records the last moments of the race as the horses rush past the finish line, indicated by the pole with a circular top.