L'Asperge

A Sprig of Asparagus (L'Asperge) is an 1880 oil on canvas painting by Édouard Manet, signed at the top right. It is now in the Musée d'Orsay. In 1880, Charles Ephrussi, an art collector and patron of the arts, commissioned Manet to paint A Bundle of Asparagus for 800 francs. Ephrussi, however, sent 1,000 francs instead. In response, Manet created this smaller work, A Sprig of Asparagus, and sent it to Ephrussi with a note that humorously stated: "There was one [sprig] missing from your bunch." Art historians have interpreted the anecdote as a sign of Manet's ability to blend wit with social and artistic gestures. By painting an additional work to acknowledge the overpayment, Manet transformed a standard commercial transaction into a symbolic exchange. The act also reinforced his image as a refined and gracious artist, appreciated for his humor and sensitivity to the nuances of patronage.

Subject
asparagus, Asparagus officinalis