If you see just one painting in Copenhagen

I love visiting art galleries, but there’s something special for me in returning to one piece again and again in all the cities I have lived.

In Copenhagen, that piece is Édouard Manet’s Absinthe Drinker, housed in the Carlsberg Glyptotek. Located in central Copenhagen, right by Tivoli and the main square Rådhuspladsen, the Glyptotek is a gem in the city’s art scene. Manet’s Absinthe Drinker—a painting that marked a significant point in his career—holds a special place in my heart.

Although often associated with the Impressionists, Manet’s work transcends simple categorization. His style is uniquely his own, with an audacious brilliance that changed the trajectory of modern art. Born in Paris in 1832, Manet was part of the controversial Salon des Refusés exhibition in 1863, where his work (and that of other artists) was rejected by the traditional Salon but displayed in a groundbreaking alternative show. This marked a clear departure from the classical academic style that dominated the art world at the time, and it laid the foundation for the more experimental approaches of modern art.

In Absinthe Drinker, Manet rejected the idealized forms and subjects of classical art, focusing instead on an unpolished, very real moment. He captured a moment in time that was far from the romanticized or heroic subjects that were usually favored. The man in the painting isn’t a noble figure or an idealized portrait but an everyday character, caught in a mundane yet powerful moment of his life. For me, that’s what makes the piece so powerful—it speaks to my own love of the mundane, of finding beauty in the detail and simplicity of everyday life. Manet found something extraordinary in what others might have overlooked, and that has influenced me in my own work.

It’s hard not to be mesmerized by the bottle in Absinthe Drinker. The minimalism of the brushstrokes, the surety with which Manet captures the light glinting off the glass—it’s all so direct and powerful. The drinker’s expression, too, speaks volumes. He’s not just a figure in the painting; he’s a character with a story, one that you can imagine unfolding beyond the canvas.

There’s a quiet intensity in this piece, one that draws me back just to visit The Glyptotek. It’s just one of those paintings that, no matter how many times I see it, never ceases to leave me in awe. And, for me, the Glyptotek is a perfect place to experience it—right in the heart of Copenhagen, and a lovely piece of architecture and interior. They also do a nice cup of coffee and a cake!