Edouard Manet

Edouard Manet (1832-1883) was born in Paris and studied the works of many artists before, during a visit to Spain in 1865, he saw paintings by Goya and began to develop the style of strong line and clear colour which almost creates a silhouette of his main characters. His painting Luncheon on the grass, with a nude female beside two fully clothed men, caused a scandal, but marked a turning point in freedom of expression in painting. Manet, who died of a form of paralysis at only 52, greatly influenced Impressionism and is still studied today.