That Modern Appeal

BEST KNOWN FOR PROVOCATIVE PAINTINGS THAT CHALLENGED ACADEMIC TRADITION and marked the start of modern art, Manet's work is also characterized by what critics have dubbed as superficial: fashionable portraits, lush still lifes, and à la mode scenes of French gardens and cafes.

While more trivial in content, the paintings are no less extraordinary. And by offering glimpses of Manet’s elegant lifestyle, the works are distinctly modern. “Many of his later paintings are of extraordinary beauty, executed at the height of his artistic prowess—despite the fact that he was already afflicted with the illness that would lead to his early death. These works sparkle with an insistent – perhaps even defiant – sense of life." explains Timothy Potts, director of the J. Paul Getty Museum.

I particularly love the pieces with pale, creamy tones against cocoa-colored backdrops. The strong contrast paired with painterly strokes gives emphasis to Manets chosen items of beauty.

Branch of White Peonies and Secateurs, Luncheon in the Studio, and The Guitar Player by Edouard Manet, wikiart.org