Berwick Art Appreciation - Thursday 12 Mar '26

Edouard Manet – The Painter of Modern Parisian Life

Born 1832 into a prosperous Parisian family, father an eminent magistrate and mother, a diplomat’s daughter, Manet was destined to study law, but like many aspiring painters, had other ideas. An adventure in the Navy to Rio Janeiro would be his nemesis in later life. On return, he joined the studio of Couture, where for all his high spirits and insubordination, he remained at least in name, but in truth, he learnt more from copying the Great Masters in the Louvre. It was here that Manet developed his revolutionary technique with “pure colour”, a decade before Monet and the Impressionists, splashes of colour, depicting everyday scenes of Parisian life, that were to shock both the public and the Salon. Amongst his most important influences, were Courbet for his revolutionary Social Realism, Velasquez, for his use of black and Frans Hals for his bravura brushwork and his heroines, the adoring women, including of course the sultry, dark-eyed Berthe Morisot, who competed for his attention.

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