Art Guide · Painters
Édouard Manet
1832–1883
Édouard Manet (1832–1883) was the French painter of modern Parisian life, seen as the bridge from Realism to Impressionism. Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe and Olympia caused major scandals.
Last updated: · Iconica Society editors
Life
Born into an upper-class Paris family, he tried to become a naval officer before training in Thomas Couture’s studio. He admired Velázquez and Spanish painting.
He always sought recognition at the official Salon and never showed with the Impressionists, yet he became the model the young Impressionists looked to. He died in 1883, aged 51.
Style and key works
With flat light, bold contrasts and quick brushwork, Manet rejected academic polish. Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe, shown at the Salon des Refusés in 1863, and Olympia, exhibited in 1865, caused outrage by taking the nude out of mythology and into the present. His last major work, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère (1882), is still debated for its mirror reflections.
Key works
Shop Édouard Manet posters →Frequently asked questions
Are Manet and Monet the same person?
No. Édouard Manet and Claude Monet were two different painters active in Paris at the same time; their similar names often cause confusion.
Where is A Bar at the Folies-Bergère?
At the Courtauld Gallery in London.