DOI Heft:
No. 94 (January, 1901)
DOI Artikel:Proust, Antonin: The art of Edouard Manet
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19786#0263
Edouard Manet
a beautiful woman. The
pose is perfect in its grace,
and the movement is as
happy as can be; while it
suffices to name the ex-
quisite pictures of Mile.
Demarsy, Mme. Valtini,
Mery Laurent, and Mile.
Lemonnier to disprove the
charge entirely. There is
a sense of distinction in
these portraits such as few
artists have achieved and
none have surpassed.
When, soon after Manet's
death in April, 1883, his
works were displayed at
the Ecole des Beaux-Arts,
the public was shocked to
find—as at the Pont de
l'Alma exhibition in 1867
—that a large number of
his pictures had never got
beyond the rough state.
Yet the non-completion of
all these works is entirely
to the credit of the artist.
Never would he allow him-
self to finish a picture
"tit miviTTTK nVAn» unless he could do it as
LE BUVEUR D EAU BY EDOUARD MANET
he had begun—from nature
direct. Such was his in-
of the illustrious professors teaching there to tense respect for what he had actually seen; and
obtain an effect of light; they cannot do it. I this shows a degree of scrupulousness not too
defy them to do it. What do they know of atmo- often met with among artists. One of the weak-
sphere, of the mobile light which envelops every- nesses of Corot and of Millet consisted in their
thing around in its dazzling splendour ? Ask this habit of completing their canvases in the studio,
of the people who stick a face on the canvas just as A day will come when the truth of Manet's
one sticks a butterfly in a case." And, referring to doctrine will be admitted. "Do nothing," said
a portrait by a fashionable painter, he would he, " without consulting Nature." Whether there
exclaim, " I can see he has painted an overcoat— be truth or not in the old definition that " art is
an excellent, well-cut overcoat. But where are the man plus Nature "—homo additus natural—certain
lungs ? The model does not breathe beneath his it is, Nature must be there. Not even the most
clothes; he has no body; he is simply a tailor's faithful memory can take its place. Such was
figure." Manet's oft-expressed opinion.
Nowadays, everyone admits that Manet rendered From i860 to 1883 Manet made daily progress,
a great service to art by insisting on the necessity for the simple reason that he was constantly trying
of observation, by discarding mere imitation of fresh experiments; and though to this day there
things already achieved, and by concentrating his are those who refuse to recognise the splendid
powers, not on the past, but on the present. merit of most of his works, there will come a
Manet has been reproached for having painted time when even the slightest sketch by this truly
his women in an ugly light. Nothing could be great artist will be sought for and analysed as
more unjust. His portrait of Eva Gonzales is containing a lesson in its every line,
something more than the faithful presentment of As a striking instance of that high intuition
23S
a beautiful woman. The
pose is perfect in its grace,
and the movement is as
happy as can be; while it
suffices to name the ex-
quisite pictures of Mile.
Demarsy, Mme. Valtini,
Mery Laurent, and Mile.
Lemonnier to disprove the
charge entirely. There is
a sense of distinction in
these portraits such as few
artists have achieved and
none have surpassed.
When, soon after Manet's
death in April, 1883, his
works were displayed at
the Ecole des Beaux-Arts,
the public was shocked to
find—as at the Pont de
l'Alma exhibition in 1867
—that a large number of
his pictures had never got
beyond the rough state.
Yet the non-completion of
all these works is entirely
to the credit of the artist.
Never would he allow him-
self to finish a picture
"tit miviTTTK nVAn» unless he could do it as
LE BUVEUR D EAU BY EDOUARD MANET
he had begun—from nature
direct. Such was his in-
of the illustrious professors teaching there to tense respect for what he had actually seen; and
obtain an effect of light; they cannot do it. I this shows a degree of scrupulousness not too
defy them to do it. What do they know of atmo- often met with among artists. One of the weak-
sphere, of the mobile light which envelops every- nesses of Corot and of Millet consisted in their
thing around in its dazzling splendour ? Ask this habit of completing their canvases in the studio,
of the people who stick a face on the canvas just as A day will come when the truth of Manet's
one sticks a butterfly in a case." And, referring to doctrine will be admitted. "Do nothing," said
a portrait by a fashionable painter, he would he, " without consulting Nature." Whether there
exclaim, " I can see he has painted an overcoat— be truth or not in the old definition that " art is
an excellent, well-cut overcoat. But where are the man plus Nature "—homo additus natural—certain
lungs ? The model does not breathe beneath his it is, Nature must be there. Not even the most
clothes; he has no body; he is simply a tailor's faithful memory can take its place. Such was
figure." Manet's oft-expressed opinion.
Nowadays, everyone admits that Manet rendered From i860 to 1883 Manet made daily progress,
a great service to art by insisting on the necessity for the simple reason that he was constantly trying
of observation, by discarding mere imitation of fresh experiments; and though to this day there
things already achieved, and by concentrating his are those who refuse to recognise the splendid
powers, not on the past, but on the present. merit of most of his works, there will come a
Manet has been reproached for having painted time when even the slightest sketch by this truly
his women in an ugly light. Nothing could be great artist will be sought for and analysed as
more unjust. His portrait of Eva Gonzales is containing a lesson in its every line,
something more than the faithful presentment of As a striking instance of that high intuition
23S