Description
Edouard Manet's painting Music Lesson is a masterpiece showing an intimate scene from a music lesson. The work was painted in 1868 and measures 141 x 173 cm. The composition is impressive, with a woman seated at the piano and two men around her. The woman appears to be playing a piece of music while the men listen intently.
Manet's artistic style is evident in this painting. His loose brushwork technique and lack of precise detail in the figures are hallmarks of his style. Manet also uses a palette of bright, contrasting colors to create a sense of depth and texture in the painting.
The story behind the painting is interesting. The woman in the painting is believed to be Manet's sister, Eugenie. The two men are close friends of the artist, the writer Emile Zola and the musician Fanny Claus. The painting was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1869 and was criticized for its lack of finish and for being too modern for the time.
A little known aspect of the painting is that Manet was inspired by an earlier painting by Johannes Vermeer called The Music Lesson. Manet took the idea from the music lesson and reinterpreted it in his own style. The painting Music Lesson is also believed to be a critique of French society at the time, which valued classical art and rejected new forms of modern art.
In conclusion, Edouard Manet's painting Music Lesson is a masterpiece that showcases his distinctive artistic style and ability to create a stunning composition. The story behind the painting and little-known aspects make it even more interesting and valuable for art history.