Why was Edouard Manets paintings/work important?

Question

Why was Edouard Manets paintings/work important?

Answer 1

What Manet did that was so important at the time was break the plane between the painted subject and viewer.



In one of his most notable paintings "Le déjeuner sur l'herbe", a Naked woman is looking directly at you (the viewer) as if you are interrupting or catching something you shouldn't be seeing. At the time it was very risque.



The question was, what was this naked woman doing naked, having lunch and a casual conversation in the park with two men? The other woman is picking berries? It's as if we are on a walk and came upon something naughty.

Answer 2

http://nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/edouard-manet

"Manet was the elder statesman of the Impressionists, although he never participated in their exhibitions but continued to compete in the Salons. His unconventional subject matter drawn from modern life, and his concern for the artist's freedom in handling paint made him an important precursor of Impressionism."



http://manetedouard.org

"One of the first nineteenth century artists to approach modern-life subjects, he was a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism.

His early masterworks The Luncheon on the Grass and Olympia engendered great controversy, and served as rallying points for the young painters who would create Impressionism-today these are considered watershed paintings that mark the genesis of modern art."



Manet used the Realists' concern with modern, real life and moved it into a more urban setting. His work is less political and is painted in a freer manner than the Realists used (which influenced the Impressionist's subject matter and their use of paint).



Manet;

http://www.answers.com/topic/douard-manet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89douard_Manet



Realism;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realism_(visual_arts)

http://www.frontpainting.com