Throughout his life, the visionary artist Édouard Manet (1832–1883) strove to leave behind the conventions of painting of his time. Genre paintings, maritime landscapes, still lifes or portraits – for Manet, painting has always been the representation of reality. His works bear witness to a deep sensitivity. Even if he never received the recognition he sought during his lifetime, at least posterity recognized his deserved place in the circle of great artists.
