Week 19
Edouard Manet (1832-1883)
1832 born in Paris (most 19th Century French writers/artists from country). 1841 American John Rand invents oil paint in tubes. 1842 studying at College Rollin (Manet has good education) 1848 goes to sea, father wants him to join Navy. 1849 rejected by Navy. meets Suzanne Leenhoff, future wife. 1850 Manet begins painting career in studio of Thomas Couture (Decadence of Romans). 1851 birth of Leon-Edouard Leenhoff. (was Leon Manet's son?) 1852 visits Amsterdam, influence of Dutch artists. 1853 visits Dresden, Prague, Vienna, Italy. 1855 visits Delacroix. (Manet great admirer of D.) 1856 on his own, leaves Couture rents own studio. 1859 first painting submitted to Salon: rejected. "The Absinthe Drinker." 1861 first painting accepted by Salon: "The Spanish Singer." 1862 father dies, leaves him substantial fortune. 1863 exhibits "Music in the Tuileries" in a gallery. 1863 exhibits "Le dejeuner sur l'herbe" at Salon des Refuses. marries Suzanne Leenhoff.. 1865 Salon accepts "Olympia," huge scandal. (how did it get accepted?). first visit to Spain. impressed by Velazquez and Goya. 1866 paintings rejected by Salon again. Zola writes impassioned defense. Manet meets Zola, Cezanne, Monet. Manet becomes central figure in French art. 1867 World's Fair in Paris: Manet erects own pavilion (like Courbet). Zola publishes 23-page defense of Manet's work in L'Artiste, Revue du XIX Siecle. 1870 Franco- Prussian War, fall of the government. Manet joins the National Guard. sends family to country. 1871 Manet witnesses the Paris Commune. paints scenes. his lithography one of most haunting memories of Commune. 1872 dealer Paul Durand-Ruel buys 24 canvases. first recognition. 1874 Salon accepts his painting: "The Railroad." brother Eugene marries the woman painter Berthe Morisot. 1874 First Impressionist Exhibition Manet does not join, never does but within which his sister-in-law Berthe Morisot has the greatest success of them all. 1875 "Argenteuil" exhibited at Salon. travels to Venice. paints "The Grand Canal," loves Venice. 1876 holds exhibition in own studio. shows paintings rejected by Salon. 1877 Salon rejects "Nana," shows in gallery window, cause sensation, fury (prostitute). 1878 evicted from his studio due to his private exhibition (really they just dont want him). 1880 early symptoms of syphilis which now worsens every month til death in 1883. 1882 great difficulty walking. legs giving out. paints anyway. in pain, he paints his greatest painting: "The Bar at the Folies-Bergere" 1883 April his legs worsening, amputate left leg April 20. surgery unsuccessful, last days in terrible pain. April 30, 1883. buried in Passy. 1884 posthumous exhibition of his works at the bastion of Classicism: Ecole des Beaux-Arts.
