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8 Terrific Édouard Manet Quotes About Painting
The painter was welcomed into the art world with a slew of insults.
The painter was welcomed into the art world with a slew of insults.
Alyssa Buffenstein ShareShare This Article
Édouard Manet was born on this day in 1832. In those 184 years, the painter came of age, was welcomed into the art world with a slew of insults, and rose above the critics to create an enduring appeal that only strengthens with time. At some point during this journey, he regrettably died of syphilis. During his lifetime, his lack of attention to perfection in perspective and line, and his use of “low” subjects caused quite the stir in 19th century Paris. But today, many laud him as the father of modern art.
In 1863 Manet’s Déjeuner sur l’herbe was rejected from the official Parisian salon, so the painting made its public debut at the Salon des Refusés—the exhibition of rejects—alongside works by Paul Cézanne, James Whistler, and Camille Pissarro. While Manet’s subject matter could be traced to Renaissance traditions, critics were nonetheless outraged.
Today, Manet’s works stir little controversy, unless they are engaged with by naked performance artists. Instead of disrobing to celebrate, we’ve rounded up eight quotes by the rebellious painter to honor his legacy.