Studio in Rue de La Condamine

Bazille painted this piece to illustrate a gathering of his friends in the studio. The scene on the painting is at Bazille's studio at rue de La Condamine, formerly called Rue de la Paix. On the left, is Auguste Renoir, seating at a table while he looks up to Zola who is climbing up the stairs.

At the centre, is Edouard Manet, staring at one of Bazille's latest paintings. Edmond Maitre, Bazille's closest friend, plays the piano on the far right. These were all Bazille's friends, and they had appeared in Henri's formal group portrait, only that Bazille's approach is more natural and intimate. On the wall is a still-life painting that Bazille had purchased from Manet. Fredric includes a pink sofa, framed pictures and a red chestnut, which liven up the grey tones of the large space that is lit by one tall window. The painting also illustrates Fredric's previous pictures that had been rejected by the Salon. There is the Fisherman with a Net hang on the left, The Toilette and Renoir's Landscape with Two People, an 1865 painting, which was at the 1866 Salon.

Fredric Bazille had taken on Manet's famous Impressionist style, which is evident in the painting. His work portrays an aura of freshness, realistic facial expression and great attention to detail. This painting is so well-structured piece with broad brush strokes that its subjects seem to be in front of a photographer's lens. At some point, Bazille departed from the standard Impressionism style and began appreciating the need for the use of volume and form; a feature many Impressionists had obviated. Studio in Rue La Condamine is particularly captivating as it reveals the artist's skill and intellectual capability in great detail. At some point, Monet appears to be painting Fredric along with his friends.

Fredric borrowed much from Monet's landscape painting in open air depicted by the painting Forest of Fontainebleau during the 1863 Easter holiday. He had joined Renoir and Monet towards the end of 1862 at a studio owned by a Swiss painter Charles Gleyre. Monet and Fredric often painted together as is illustrated by Monet's 1866 painting - the Dejeuner sur l'Herbe where a standing figure on the left depicts Bazille. Bazille admired Monet's work so much that he bought one of his paintings - the 1866 Women in a Garden canvas. In exchange, Monet helped Bazille create the famous Family Reunion portrait.