(Paris, 1832 - Paris, 1883)
Édouard Manet, considered by most as the initiator of Impressionism, had his first contact with painting in the workshop of Thomas Couture, a romantic academic painter who had recently enjoyed considerable success at the Salon of Paris. Between 1850 and 1856, Manet integrated into Couture's workshop, and his classes were complemented by frequent visits to the Louvre Museum, where the young apprentice would copy works by great masters of the Italian Renaissance, such as Titian and Giorgione. From this stage, his admiration for classical painters was born, from whom he would later adopt technique, composition, and themes.
Manet's attraction to Spanish painting, especially the works of Velázquez, Goya, Murillo, and Zurbarán, led him to travel to Spain in 1865, after having already made several trips to Holland, Italy, Austria, and Germany. Manet's initial tenebrist style, rooted in Spanish Baroque, can be observed in his early works, such as “Absinthe Drinker” (1858-59). His virtuosity in drawing and the use of chromatic contrast earned him his first success at the Salon of Paris with the work “The Spanish Guitarist” (1861). Some young painters and critics, such as Degas and Théophile Gautier, recognized the originality and an academic irreverence in the rejection of traditional chiaroscuro and the blend of realism and romanticism. Manet would continue to delve into Spanish themes (“Victorine Meurent in a Sword Dress,” 1862; “Lola of Valencia,” 1862), but undoubtedly influenced by his friendship with the poet Charles Baudelaire, he began to introduce scenes of Parisian life into his works, as seen in the oil painting “Music in the Tuileries,” from 1862.
A year later, in 1863, Manet decided to present his most controversial work, “Luncheon on the Grass,” at the Salon of Paris. The canvas was moved to the so-called “Salon of the Rejected,” created by Napoleon III to house the numerous works that were denied by the official Salon. Widely denounced, the work created an unprecedented controversy in the art world: in addition to showing the most mundane female nudity without appeals to the mythological universe, the work foreshadowed Impressionism with its liberated brushstrokes and analytical lighting. Circles of young artists were quickly drawn to the modernity and originality of Manet's work, which they passionately elevated. This year marked the beginning of the painter's relationship with the Impressionists: Manet would frequently visit the Guerbois café, mingling with Degas, Monet, and Pissarro.
The following years would not be very happy for Manet. The painter, who had always longed for academic recognition and the status of a classical painter, faced failures at the Salons of Paris in 1865 and 1867. At the first, he presented “Olympia,” which created a scandal comparable to that of 1863 as it depicted the posed nude of a prostitute inspired by Titian's “Venus of Urbino.” Once again, Manet mixed tradition and modernity, creating a new pictorial language; and once again, the painter garnered irritated comments from the public and the Parisian critics. He was also rejected at the 1867 Exposition Universelle in Paris, which led the then-young writer Émile Zola to dedicate an article praising his work and highlighting his artistic commitment. In the following years, Manet produced works on diverse themes - “Execution of Maximilian” (1867), “Luncheon in the Studio” (1868), or “The Balcony” (1868-69) - but he still did not achieve the desired success or gain admission to the Salon. In 1870, Manet was mobilized for the Franco-Prussian War, where he fought as an officer in the National Guard. The experience resulted in a series of engravings and the watercolor “Barricade” (1871). Finally, in 1873, Manet achieved his long-desired success and academic recognition with “Le Bon Rock,” a portrait of the painter and lithographer Émile Bellot, using more traditional techniques close to the Baroque. The work did not convince the group of Impressionist painters, who saw Manet moving away from their artistic foundations and also refusing to exhibit alongside them in their independent exhibitions.
From the 1870s onwards, Manet increasingly turned to the theme of modern urban life, sometimes emphasizing naturalistic technique. Thus, prostitutes, the clientele of bars and cafés, and everyday Parisian life became recurring themes in works such as “Nana” (1877) or “Café Concert” (1878), in which the chromatic diversification and the fading of detail are also evident, undeniable traces of his contact with the Impressionist group. From 1880, Manet began to suffer the first manifestations of ataxia, an infectious disease that affected his muscular mobility and would lead to his death a few years later. However, despite his ailments, Manet never abandoned his palette, and during this time his painting evolved towards more spontaneous brushstrokes, predominantly using pastels. In 1882, he presented at the Salon his last major canvas, “Bar at the Folies-Bergère,” achieving his greatest success. Positive reviews from academic circles and praise and admiration from young Impressionists; the work is an undeniable compendium of Impressionist principles that established Manet as the uncontested father of modern painting. The painter's artistic production was drastically reduced as ataxia progressed, and in his final days, he only painted small-sized canvases. On April 30, 1883, Manet passed away due to the amputation of a gangrenous leg. A year later, a posthumous exhibition was held in which Manet's artistic value and mastery were finally recognized, along with his relevance in the evolution of painting and his consideration as the “father” of Impressionism.
Édouard Manet, considered by most as the initiator of Impressionism, had his first contact with painting in the workshop of Thomas Couture, a romantic academic painter who had recently enjoyed considerable success at the Salon of Paris. Between 1850 and 1856, Manet integrated into Couture's workshop, and his classes were complemented by frequent visits to the Louvre Museum, where the young apprentice would copy works by great masters of the Italian Renaissance, such as Titian and Giorgione. From this stage, his admiration for classical painters was born, from whom he would later adopt technique, composition, and themes.
Manet's attraction to Spanish painting, especially the works of Velázquez, Goya, Murillo, and Zurbarán, led him to travel to Spain in 1865, after having already made several trips to Holland, Italy, Austria, and Germany. Manet's initial tenebrist style, rooted in Spanish Baroque, can be observed in his early works, such as “Absinthe Drinker” (1858-59). His virtuosity in drawing and the use of chromatic contrast earned him his first success at the Salon of Paris with the work “The Spanish Guitarist” (1861). Some young painters and critics, such as Degas and Théophile Gautier, recognized the originality and an academic irreverence in the rejection of traditional chiaroscuro and the blend of realism and romanticism. Manet would continue to delve into Spanish themes (“Victorine Meurent in a Sword Dress,” 1862; “Lola of Valencia,” 1862), but undoubtedly influenced by his friendship with the poet Charles Baudelaire, he began to introduce scenes of Parisian life into his works, as seen in the oil painting “Music in the Tuileries,” from 1862.
A year later, in 1863, Manet decided to present his most controversial work, “Luncheon on the Grass,” at the Salon of Paris. The canvas was moved to the so-called “Salon of the Rejected,” created by Napoleon III to house the numerous works that were denied by the official Salon. Widely denounced, the work created an unprecedented controversy in the art world: in addition to showing the most mundane female nudity without appeals to the mythological universe, the work foreshadowed Impressionism with its liberated brushstrokes and analytical lighting. Circles of young artists were quickly drawn to the modernity and originality of Manet's work, which they passionately elevated. This year marked the beginning of the painter's relationship with the Impressionists: Manet would frequently visit the Guerbois café, mingling with Degas, Monet, and Pissarro.
The following years would not be very happy for Manet. The painter, who had always longed for academic recognition and the status of a classical painter, faced failures at the Salons of Paris in 1865 and 1867. At the first, he presented “Olympia,” which created a scandal comparable to that of 1863 as it depicted the posed nude of a prostitute inspired by Titian's “Venus of Urbino.” Once again, Manet mixed tradition and modernity, creating a new pictorial language; and once again, the painter garnered irritated comments from the public and the Parisian critics. He was also rejected at the 1867 Exposition Universelle in Paris, which led the then-young writer Émile Zola to dedicate an article praising his work and highlighting his artistic commitment. In the following years, Manet produced works on diverse themes - “Execution of Maximilian” (1867), “Luncheon in the Studio” (1868), or “The Balcony” (1868-69) - but he still did not achieve the desired success or gain admission to the Salon. In 1870, Manet was mobilized for the Franco-Prussian War, where he fought as an officer in the National Guard. The experience resulted in a series of engravings and the watercolor “Barricade” (1871). Finally, in 1873, Manet achieved his long-desired success and academic recognition with “Le Bon Rock,” a portrait of the painter and lithographer Émile Bellot, using more traditional techniques close to the Baroque. The work did not convince the group of Impressionist painters, who saw Manet moving away from their artistic foundations and also refusing to exhibit alongside them in their independent exhibitions.
From the 1870s onwards, Manet increasingly turned to the theme of modern urban life, sometimes emphasizing naturalistic technique. Thus, prostitutes, the clientele of bars and cafés, and everyday Parisian life became recurring themes in works such as “Nana” (1877) or “Café Concert” (1878), in which the chromatic diversification and the fading of detail are also evident, undeniable traces of his contact with the Impressionist group. From 1880, Manet began to suffer the first manifestations of ataxia, an infectious disease that affected his muscular mobility and would lead to his death a few years later. However, despite his ailments, Manet never abandoned his palette, and during this time his painting evolved towards more spontaneous brushstrokes, predominantly using pastels. In 1882, he presented at the Salon his last major canvas, “Bar at the Folies-Bergère,” achieving his greatest success. Positive reviews from academic circles and praise and admiration from young Impressionists; the work is an undeniable compendium of Impressionist principles that established Manet as the uncontested father of modern painting. The painter's artistic production was drastically reduced as ataxia progressed, and in his final days, he only painted small-sized canvases. On April 30, 1883, Manet passed away due to the amputation of a gangrenous leg. A year later, a posthumous exhibition was held in which Manet's artistic value and mastery were finally recognized, along with his relevance in the evolution of painting and his consideration as the “father” of Impressionism.
