Amongst the late 19th century French painters, my favorite is Édouard Manet, who was sometimes included in the category of Impressionist. Actually, I cannot really call him an impressionist, though he did live and was active during the time when Impressionism emerged and he did play a pivotal role in the transition from the Realism to Impressionism.
According to Wikipedia, "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."
I love the somber tones of his works, versus the insistent sunny effects of many impressionism practitioners chase after. His characters, even in close grouping, are lost in their own world. An overwhelming melancholy is always palpable. His masterly utilizing the color black is justly celebrated and has never been surpassed.
Portrait of Berthe Morisot
The Fifer
The Balcony
Bar Girl
Baudelaire's Mistress, Reclining
When he suffered paralysis in his late life, he painted many still life paintings. Though small in scale, nothing else emitting from those canvases was small.
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