Emile de Specht b. né en 1843

Wilhelm Émile Charles Adolphe de Specht was a pupil of Léon Cogniet and Félix-Joseph Barrias at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, which he entered in 1861. He exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1865 to 1897, presenting mainly views of Paris, genre scenes, and portraits. He also showed a work at the Salon des Refusés in 1873 and at the Salon des Indépendants in 1888.

He is known to have painted portraits of Degas, Doctor Gachet, as well as Manet and Duranty, artists whom he likely encountered in the Nouvelle Athènes district and at the Café du Rat Mort, key meeting places for artistic creation and important sites in the history of Impressionism.