Édouard Manet (1832 – 1883) was a French painter. One of the first 19th-century artists to draw inspiration from the external world, he was a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism.
Born into an upper-class household in Paris, Manet rejected the traditional career path of his peers and instead chose to study painting on his own terms. He developed a unique perspective that combined elements of Realism and Modernity, and his work challenged the conventions of the day.
Manet’s early masterpieces include The Luncheon on the Grass (1863) and Olympia (1863), both of which provoked great controversy due to their frank depiction of modern life. His later works include A Bar at the Folies-Bergère (1882) and The Déjeuner sur l’herbe (1863).
Manet’s work had a profound influence on subsequent generations of artists, and he is widely considered to be one of the most important painters of the 19th century.
