By understanding the history behind The Escape of Rochefort, we can better appreciate how his rapid
breakaway required equally swift and tense brushwork. Henri Rochefort was internationally reputed in the 1860s as a polemicist, frequently criticizing the Second Empire in his publications. After being fired from one newspaper for bringing the paper into collision with authorities, he started his own publication, La Lanterne, which was quickly seized by officials and caused him to be sentenced to jail. He then briefly served as an officer in the government of National Defense, but was soon forced to leave because of his open affiliation with the Communards. In May of 1871, he fled Paris in disguise when civil authorities blamed him for encouraging the theft, vandalism, and murder that occurred under the Commune. He was soon arrested and sentenced to life-long exile. He managed to evade government officials until 1873, at 
which time he was shipped to the South Pacific. Only four months later, though, he escaped with five other individuals to San Francisco in the small boat depicted in Manet’s painting. In 1880, he was allowed to return to France, where he continued to arouse public opinion about the government. He published a book about his journey, L’Evade, which Manet is reported to have read (Wilson-Bareau and Degener 88). After reading the narrative, Manet decided to portray the fast-paced escape for an 1881 exhibition. He talked to Rochefort about his experience, and when Rochefort agreed to let the artist depict his escape, Manet had a dark gray whaleboat brought to his studio to more accurately capture the scene.
Ironically, it was the impressive reputation of Manet’s first seascape, The Battle of the U.S.S. “Kearsarge” and the C.S.S. “Alabama,” that persuaded Rochefort to cooperate (Wilson-Bareau and Degener 88). Despite its comparatively flat and lifeless sea, Kearsarge was upheld by most art connoisseurs in the 1860s as a lively depiction of an intense battle scene. By comparing that initial piece to Manet’s next rendering of a historical moment at sea, we can appreciate how much more skillfully the artist brings life to The Escape of Rochefort. Though both are meant to capture action-packed scenes from real life, only the post-1871 piece effectively produces the sensation of spontaneity. By incorporating sharply twisted shapes and creating a violent collision of colors around his boat, Manet is able to convey the powerful tension of The Escape that Kearsarge lacks.
Manet, Edouard. Portrait of Rochefort. 1881. Kunsthalle, Hamburg.
Manet, Edouard. The Escape of Rochefort. 1880-81. Musée d’Orsay, Paris.