At the Milliner’s was painted only two or three years before Manet’s death and portrays one of the themes that Manet preferred later in his career: feminine elegance. The depiction of women in shops or boudoirs trying
on hats was also favored by several of Manet’s contemporaries, including Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro.
Although the title indicates that Manet's subject is in a milliner's shop, the woman's exposed shoulders and the room's luxurious detailing suggest an intimate setting, or perhaps the privacy of a home. The figure's
exquisitely outlined and flattened profile is contrasted against the patterned wallpaper background, evoking Manet's interest in Japanese prints. The flurry of vigorous brushwork composing the wallpaper demonstrates
the artist's painterly skill even in the face of a disabling disease. Despite Manet's illness, At the Milliner's shows no sign of the artist's diminishing artistic power.
It is unknown who this woman is, and efforts to identify her have proved unsuccessful. The painting may have been considered unfinished by Manet, as it remained in his studio until its posthumous sale in 1884. The
almost indistinct signature at the lower left was also added after his death.
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