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Le Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe,

I chose to examine Le Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe, (1863) by Édouard Manet depicts two nude women surrounded by fully clothed men. The painting was originally submitted to Salon in Paris in 1863 but was turned down due to the nude woman’s unabashed presence, which was considered scandalous to the art.  The nude woman stares directly at the viewer as the two hold conversation. The painting also captures still life right on the lower left of the plan comprised of the woman’s clothes, a loaf of bread, and a basket of fruit and the woman’s clothes (Takac.) In the background, the second nude woman bathes in a river, and her appearance is blurred with surreal.

Manet’s painting style made brutal contrasts between dark and light than was considered usual during the period.  Manet was considered a non-conformist of his times as the Le Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe was considered a complete art departure to modern art (Takac). Consequently, the Salon rejected the Painting in Paris in 1863 only to be exhibited at the Salon des Refusés, where it attracted vast attention.

Salon turned down le Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe (1863) because it was held to promote indecency and vulgarity, causing shock to the world of art when exhibited first. In a similar vein, the painting triggered contradictions in light of feminine and masculine, showing women’s position in Manet’s society, especially due to women’s nakedness and fully clothed men. The painting also points at the gender inequalities between men and women as men are depicted as dressed in expensive dark color pallete as contrasted with nude women.

Édouard Manet, Le Dejeuner sur l’Herbe, 1863.

Works-cited

Balasz Takac. The Everlasting Mystery of Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe by Édouard Manet, 2019. Widewall