Édouard Manet
(French, 1832 – 1883)



Manet strove to paint in a truly modern style. Paradoxically, he also wanted to be known as an artist versed in the sanctioned styles of the official Paris Salon. Ultimately, what mattered most to him was painting scenes from contemporary life “in the moment,” and to this end, he composed simply, applying strong colors in a flat manner that threw harsh illumination on his subjects. The Guitar Player, 1866, features the artist’s favorite model, Victorine Meurent, wearing a bright white dress that contrasts dramatically with a dark background. Flashes of color come from her blue hair ribbon, a red cord attached to her guitar, and the green and yellow feathers of a nearby parrot. A second oil in the collection, Toreadors, 1863, showcases Manet’s interest in Spanish themes.