The floor waiter
Chaïm Soutine · 1927
Why it's great
A waiter in a white uniform stands stiff and serious with his arms at his sides. Soutine painted many hotel workers in Paris, with bold white uniforms in swirling paint. The unusual style makes the plain subject seem important. It's a well-known late portrait.
Where to see it
📍 Musée de l'OrangerieParis, France
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Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Chaïm Soutine was born into a poor Jewish family in a small village in what is now Belarus. He moved to Paris in 1913, where he lived and painted in a crowded artists' colony and became close friends with Modigliani. His wild, twisting paintings of waiters, pastry cooks and landscapes made him famous. He died in Paris in 1943, during the German occupation.
