Manet

Without doubt Manet is my favorite artist.


" What is important is Manet’s belief in conceptualizing his portraits, in order to get a more concise meaning across to the viewer. If a painter goes towards almost photographic quality painting, then the meaning of the work may become lost due to its over-emphasis on the ‘real’. A photograph of a barmaid at the Folies-Bergère would have very little meaning in comparison, but because painting allows the artist to warp the painting to what they want to see, they can work the painting in a conceptual way in order to get a dramatically different atmosphere and theme."
This is from http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/manet/arthistory_manet.html


There is a schism in contemporary art movements today. The predominate market, Damien's Hirst's pickled sharks et al are heading into incoherence. Courageous art critics are throwing in the towel, the rest, afraid of missing the next best thing and losing a paycheck are inventing new vocabularies to describe the often indescribable. Les autres- the followers of the French atelier and all things academic are making some headway. Jacob Collins apparently has partially decamped to very pricey new digs in Connecticut- my native state. However- even the best of them have not reached the stratospheric prices of those artists favored by the hedge fund vulgarians.

Trying to find a artistic perch to sit for awhile I decided I would try some really tight academic drawings. I applaud those who are able to do them-but I guess I don't have that kind of nature as I find doing detailed drawings more of a penance than a pleasure.

Nanette

I have been trying out some new models- I want to do a nude and I have been waiting for a model I want to work with to be available. Apparently Manet waited for years for the right model to show up. I had a really nice costume, a lovely model available currently, but who would not pose nude, so I dressed her in a beautiful costume I had on hand and decided to make more of it than a quick study. She was a wonderful model, and took care to stay in the same pose.

"Tapestry"

20" x 30" on Twin Rocker laid Simon's Green paper

The head, shoulders  and arms took five sittings, the hands and dress one. I used the wonderful Nitram Fusains charcoal sticks available at both Dakota pastels and Dick Blick. They have the softness of a vine charcoal- but in different hardnesses. They hold a point and don't smudge as badly.

Here is a study I did of another model in the same dress.

Below is a study I am doing for a nude painting. This took two poses.

Frankly I prefer the looser drawings as the marks have energy and lightness.

This coincides with a new book I just bought on Manet which I am presently imbibing. I was struck by the lack of self-consciousness in the drawings and studies. Manet's ideas were nailed with economy- and not labored. During that time more and more Asian work was being showed in Paris and Manet and his contemporaries were exposed to the beautiful brush work of Chinese and Japanese paintings. It took many years to master the kind of  skill that could reveal a figure, plant, flower, etc in a few strokes. It is exceptionally hard to do, and the Asians don't consider one having mastered something until they have been at it for at least 10 years.

 Lola de Valance

Manet's son

Nude

Study for Olympia

Study for Olympia

Spring

In looking for studies to post of Manet, I came across a series of drawings Degas did of Manet. They were just as unpretentiously loose as Manets. These artists, were well trained and drew beautifully but I am constantly taken aback at how economical and fresh their studies are.  It is hard to sell to drawings like this today when clients expect as proof of talent, tightly rendered pieces.

Degas "Manet Holding Hat"