Focus on this artwork and analyze the Reception.
The work places Pertuiset and a lion's body in a setting of trees with purple shadows, with the lion in the background, partially hidden by trees. Pertuiset, rather than striking a heroic pose as expected by his fans, is depicted on one knee, with a somewhat pensive expression. The setting is of course, imaginary, as Manet had never visited Africa or had witnessed a lion hunt, but the lion pelt may have been modeled after one Pertuiset acquired in a famed 1866 hunt. Manet exhibited Portrait of Monsieur Pertuiset the Lion-Hunter at the Paris Salon in 1881 where it received much condemnation from various critics who disliked its flat style, overuse of violet, and the originality of the pose. However, despite the negative reviews, Manet was awarded a medal for the work, the first official recognition of his career.
Pertuiset