Edouard Manet was an important French artist who lived during the 19th century. Many people celebrate his paintings as the beginning of the "modern art" period.
Edouard Manet was born in Paris, France, on January 23, 1832. His father was an official in the Ministry of Justice and wanted Edouard to become a lawyer, but young Edouard wanted to be a painter. Because Edouard's family was wealthy, he received a good education and did not have to work when he was a teenager, but even so, Edouard did not do well in school outside of art. Against his father's wishes, Edouard's uncle encouraged Edouard's love of painting and often took him to see art exhibits at the Louvre museum.
When Edouard finished school, he made a deal with his father and decided to join the navy instead of becoming an artist or a lawyer. But, after completing his training, Edouard failed his naval exams. At 18 years old he was now free to be an artist! From 1850 to 1856, Edouard studied under artist Thomas Couture. During that time he also traveled to other European countries to study paintings by the old masters. Soon Edouard was painting his own pictures, but unlike the old masters who painted a lot of religious scenes, Edouard chose to paint people he saw in real life like beggars on the street or people in a park. In 1856, he opened his own studio, and three years later, Edouard submitted his first piece to the famous Parisian art show, The Salon.
Edouard's first Salon submission was rejected. Even though two years later one of his paintings won an award at The Salon, for a long time most of Edouard's work was met with criticism because people did not like his modern style. However, a group of young artists known as Impressionists were deeply influenced by his use of bright, simple colors and broad brushstrokes. Together, Edouard and the Impressionists began to change the art world.
Edouard finally gained recognition for his art late in life. In 1881, he was awarded the Legion of Honor. On April 30, 1883, Edouard died in Paris. He left behind many watercolor and pastel drawings and more than 400 oil paintings.
Written by Tamar Burris, a former elementary school teacher who now works as a freelance writer and curriculum developer for PBS, the Discovery Channel and other education-related companies. Sources: Edouard Manet Biography on Renoir Fine Art, Inc., www.renoirinc.com; Edouard Manet on en.wikipedia.org; Edouard_Manet; The Impressionists on Biography.com.
