Collection: Art prints by Édouard Manet

Édouard Manet was a French painter and a key figure on the path from realist to modern painting. He came from a wealthy Parisian family and initially studied law before finally deciding to pursue art. From 1850, Manet studied in the studio of Thomas Couture, where he received a classical education, but soon consciously distanced himself from academic ideals.

In his early works, Manet often took up traditional pictorial themes, but interpreted them in a contemporary way. His paintings such as Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe and Olympia caused fierce controversy in the 1860s, as they challenged existing moral and artistic concepts through their direct depiction and the confrontational gaze of the figures. Despite the criticism, Manet adhered to the official Salon and did not see himself as an Impressionist.

At the same time, Manet maintained close contact with the younger Impressionists and significantly influenced their development. His loose painting style, the deliberate use of light and dark contrasts and the emphasis on the picture plane had a groundbreaking effect on modern art. In later years, he increasingly turned to scenes of everyday life in Paris, cafés, bars and urban entertainment.

Today, Édouard Manet is regarded as a pioneer of modernism who combined traditional painting with new artistic concepts. His works mark a decisive break with the academic art of the 19th century and occupy a central position in art history.