Édouard Manet in Two Minutes

Описание: Manet caused a scandal by "Olympia" which shocked Parisian society with its bold depiction of a nude prostitute staring directly at the viewer. In his time, Manet was a highly controversial artist but he is now celebrated as a pioneer of modern art. "Luncheon on the Grass" further stirred controversy by placing a nude woman casually eating lunch with two fully dressed men. These paintings were scandalous due to the confrontational gaze of the nude figures directly towards the viewer and as nudity was not common in art outside of historical or mythological contexts.

Manet was influenced by the Old Masters he studied such as Diego Velázquez, Titian and Goya. His early works reflect his fascination with capturing realistic and unidealised modern life. He was also inspired by Spanish art, evident here, which shows his interest in vibrant colors and bold brushstrokes.

Despite facing harsh criticism, Manet continued to push boundaries. Inspired by Japanese wood block art, "The Fifer" is a great example of his bold use of flat areas of color, which was quite different from the detailed, blended techniques of his contemporaries.

Manet was friends with many early impressionists including Degas, Monet, Renoir and Cézanne. Their influence can be seen in his work, a bridge between Realism, which focused on everyday scenes, and Impressionism, which emphasized light and color. Manet used loose brushwork and innovative compositions. Here, look at how the mirror's reflection creates a complex spatial arrangement. His use of black as a prominent color was unusual at the time but became a hallmark of his style.

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