〈Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe〉,〈Un bar aux Folies Bergère〉,〈The Railway〉
Édouard Manet
Looking back to 1863, when Europe’s art scene was still steeped in conservatism, French Emperor Napoleon III sought to showcase his openness to artistic diversity by establishing the “Salon des Refusés”. This groundbreaking event invited the public to judge the merit of works that had been dismissed by the official Salon de Paris.
It was here that Édouard Manet debuted his controversial painting, “Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe (The Luncheon on the Grass)”. At the time, the work was shocking, as it lacked the endorsement of historical, biblical, mythological, or literary themes that typically justified the portrayal of nudity. Instead, Manet depicted a modern, urban scene of everyday life, portraying nudity in a raw, relatable, and earthly context. This approach radically redefined the theme of nudity, pulling it from the sacred and lofty realm into the ordinary and mundane. The painting starkly contrasted works like “Titian's Le Concert Champêtre (Pastoral Concert)”, which used allegorical figures drawn from poetry and literature to explore similar subjects. To the bourgeois audiences of the time, who were accustomed to viewing art as a reflection of their refined tastes and social standing, Manet’s work was seen as a provocative challenge, a bold disruption of artistic tradition and a biting critique of their values.
The figures in Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe were not imagined but based on real people. The nude woman was modeled by Victorine Meurent, a professional artist's model who frequently collaborated with Manet. The man in the center was a sculptor friend, and the man on the right was Manet's brother. The two men are dressed in 19th-century suits, adhering to the fashion of the time, lending the work a sense of realism. However, the painting’s background diverges sharply from academic conventions. The rear figure and surrounding scenery are rendered in a flattened, almost two-dimensional style, with little to no spatial depth. The simplified and blurry details starkly contrast with the Academy’s emphasis on precise perspective and a sense of three-dimensional space. This positioned the work as a forerunner of Impressionism, bridging the gap between Realism and the revolutionary new approach to art that would soon emerge. Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe has since been regarded as a groundbreaking work that bridged Realism and Impressionism, influencing key Impressionist painters and shaping the trajectory of modern art.
Interestingly, at the same exhibition, another nude painting titled “The Birth of Venus” by an academic painter was also displayed. Unlike Manet’s work, Venus adhered to the traditional depiction of goddesses and was even chosen for the Emperor's collection. The stark contrast between these two works depicting nude women, Manet's painting being vilified to the point of the Emperor threatening to lash him, while The Birth of Venus received acclaim, underscored the tension between avant-garde and orthodox art at the time.
Now, let us move forward to 1882, where we find Manet at the Folies-Bergère, one of Paris' most renowned theaters and nightclubs. Born into a wealthy family, Manet enjoyed frequenting lively venues like cafés, bistros, and cabarets, not only for dining and drinking but also to immerse himself in performances of music, dance, theater, and poetry. The Folies-Bergère became one of his favorite sources of artistic inspiration.
In a Bar at the Folies-Bergère, the scene initially appears to depict three individuals, but closer inspection reveals a clever use of reflection. The barmaid stands behind the counter, her back reflected in a mirror that also shows the figure of a man seemingly engaged in conversation with her.
On the bar counter, we see a carefully arranged still life of oranges and a bottle with a triangular alcohol label, cleverly echoing the triangular composition of the entire painting. The visual design is evident in the barmaid’s gestures, the shape of her neckline, the red corsage, the fruit bowl, the ornate chandelier behind her, and even the yellow-gloved woman in the upper left corner, whose clasped hands form another triangle. The red-labeled bottles represent Bass Pale Ale, the first trademark officially registered in Britain in 1876. This detail reflects the era’s consumer culture and adds a touch of modernity to the artwork, cleverly integrating a recognizable product into the scene.
The barmaid’s detached and somber expression contrasts with the intense, focused demeanor of the man reflected in the mirror, leaving viewers intrigued about the nature of their interaction. In this late masterpiece, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, Manet creates a visually captivating narrative, blending the elegance of Parisian nightlife with layers of mystery that continue to captivate audiences.
Now, let’s turn to the third painting Manet exhibited: The Railway.
Doesn’t the woman in the painting look familiar? She is Victorine Meurent, the model featured in Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe. More than just Manet’s muse, Meurent was an accomplished artist in her own right. In 1876, she and Manet both submitted works to the Salon. Intriguingly, her painting was accepted while Manet’s was rejected. This remarkable talent, coupled with her striking presence, made her a formidable figure of her time. So why is she less known today?
Unfortunately, most of her works were destroyed after her death, leaving only one surviving piece, Palm Sunday, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The Railway was the last painting for which Meurent modeled for Manet. Although the railway is the painting’s namesake, it is not directly visible, obscured by clouds of white steam from a passing train. Beside Meurent, a young girl stands with her back to the viewer, peering curiously through an iron fence at the train. In the distance, tall buildings mark the Parisian skyline. Manet’s composition abandons the traditional depth of perspective, compressing the foreground into a tightly focused frame. This creates an intimate, almost enclosed view, capturing the essence of a leisurely and idyllic Parisian cityscape.
