Presented a self-portrait, where in one hand the artist holds a thin brush, and in the other one guesses the palette – one of the most remarkable and sad works of the great Manet. A remarkable picture of his technique, but sad notes “hear” those who know the fate of the painter.
Here, the artist is also full of energy and creativity – straight posture, straight, although somewhat frightened eyes, only some thinness reveals health problems. However, quite a bit of time will pass, and, riding a bicycle, Manet will hurt his leg. Rheumatism that develops from trauma rapidly develops into a blockage of blood vessels and gangrene, which in turn will deprive the artist of one leg.
The technique of painting the painting continues its traditions – wide and bold strokes, without clear contours, which are characteristic of impressionism, at the origins of which Manet stood. The absence of the background is also habitual for the viewer – the artist never specifically painted it, wanting to focus on the heroes of the picture. In his self-portrait, Manet rejects it altogether. His figure as if protrudes from the gloom.
Compositional techniques are also not new – often in his works the painter seems to have “cut off” the space, trying to achieve the effect of a photo frame.
Looking at the pictures, I always want to see, through his gaze, the thoughts of this unusual person. The genius, who was subjected to persecution and ruthless critical reproaches, was rejected by the public, survived a serious illness, causing him to physically suffer incredibly, and… managed to catch his fame. Eleven days before his death, Manet was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor.
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