Flowers in a Crystal Vase (c. 1882) by Édouard Manet

Édouard Manet (1832–1883), French, A rebellious figure who bridged the gap between Realism and Impressionism, this painter scandalized Paris with his unflinching modern subjects and bold brushwork. Rejecting the polished idealism of academic art, he depicted contemporary life—bar scenes, urban leisure, and candid portraits—with a frankness that critics initially condemned as crude. *Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe* (1863) became infamous for placing a nude woman picnicking with clothed men, a deliberate provocation against classical conventions. Similarly, *Olympia* (1865) reimagined the reclining nude as a self-possessed courtesan, her direct gaze challenging the viewer.
Though often associated with the Impressionists, his work retained structured compositions and darker palettes, setting him apart. Flattened perspectives and abrupt cropping borrowed from Japanese prints further disrupted traditional depth. Despite mockery from the establishment, younger artists like Monet and Degas admired his defiance. Later works, such as *A Bar at the Folies-Bergère* (1882), blended melancholy with glittering modernity, capturing Parisian nightlife’s fleeting energy. Plagued by illness in his final years, he left an indelible mark—not by conforming, but by dismantling expectations, paving the way for modern art’s radical shifts.