Summary
Highlights
Le déjeuner sur l'herbe (Lunch on the Grass) - Subject Matter and Public Outrage00:00:20
Manet's 1863 painting depicts two fashionably dressed Parisian men with two women, one nude and unashamed in the foreground and one draped in the middle ground. Critics were outraged by the subject matter, viewing the women as prostitutes, and by the unconventional style.
Criticisms of Le déjeuner sur l'herbe - Style00:01:05
Critics found Manet's style problematic, describing it as flat with little modeling or chiaroscuro. They also noted confused spatial perspective, inconsistent line work, and stark, artificial lighting, particularly on the foreground figure.
Manet's Influences: Titian's Concert in the Open Air00:02:10
Manet drew inspiration from past art, specifically Titian's 'Concert in the Open Air' (also known as 'The Pastoral Symphony') from the Venetian Renaissance. However, unlike Titian's work where nude figures had symbolic meaning, Manet's 'naked' figures were seen as lacking deeper significance.
Distinction Between Nude and Naked00:02:52
The video highlights the difference between 'nude' figures in classical art, which carried symbolic meaning (like inspiration or nature's abundance), and Manet's 'naked' figures, who were perceived as simply having their clothes off, further contributing to public discomfort.
Challenging Artistic Conventions with Le déjeuner sur l'herbe00:03:30
Venetian Renaissance art embraced the beauty of the female nude and earthly pleasures, which was expected. Manet's painting, however, came 'out of left field' and lacked the 'pretty formal elements' that made older works more forgivable despite any confusion.
Manet's Modernist Goals: Art About Art and Celebrating Artifice00:04:13
Manet aimed to make 'art about art,' moving away from art serving religion, power, social change, or status display. He referenced art history to bring it into the modern era. Secondly, he wanted to celebrate the 'artifice of art,' emphasizing that painting is a contrived combination of formal elements, not a window to another world. He sought to free art from prescribed subject matter and formal elements.
Le déjeuner sur l'herbe and the Salon des Refusés00:05:45
Manet's 'Le déjeuner sur l'herbe' was rejected from the prestigious French Salon's annual exhibition in 1863. Due to numerous rejections of progressive works, a 'Salon des Refusés' (Salon of Refused Works) was opened, which attracted large crowds, often to mock the art.
Olympia: Another Controversial Work00:06:42
Two years later, Manet's 'Olympia' (1863-1865) was accepted by the conservative Salon. The video quotes Clement Greenberg: 'All profoundly original art looks ugly at first,' suggesting that rejection can signify cutting-edge art. 'Olympia' features a nude prostitute staring directly at the viewer, unaffected, attended by an African maid bringing flowers from a client.
Olympia vs. Titian's Venus of Urbino00:07:54
Manet again created 'art about art' by referencing Titian's 'Venus of Urbino.' Both paintings depict reclining women, but there are key differences. Manet's Olympia is seen as shameless and defiant, staring unflinchingly, whereas Titian's Venus is coy and flirtatious. Critics found Olympia 'dirty and trashy' due to her direct gaze. Symbolic elements also differ: a loyal dog in 'Venus of Urbino' versus a black cat arching its back in 'Olympia,' and the presence of an African maid referencing racial divisions in France.
Manet's Legacy: Challenging Illusionism00:09:30
Manet stripped painting of the prescribed list of what made a 'good work of art,' challenging illusionistic forms with detailed chiaroscuro, deep recession of space, and perfect linear perspective. He argued that art no longer needed to be held to those standards.
Edward Manet and Modernist Principles00:00:02
Edward Manet was a critical figure in realist art and the development of modernist principles. The video will analyze two of his works to understand their modernist qualities.