Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Mr. Manet

"I paint what I see, and not what others like to see" Edouard MANET used to say to oppose to the academic doctrine, intending to assert his own subjectivity and the importance of the vision of the painter compared to the conventional rules.

Talked to a friend today about Édouard Manet, which got me thinking about the influence he had on some of my photographs. When I was thinking of how to approach the bargirl images I made in 2003 two of Manet's paintings were definite influences.

"A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, 1882"


and "Olympia, 1863"

I remember reading and studying these images (especially Olympia). The emotions he gave his subjects who worked as prostitutes was what I keyed on, I think he had those feelings just right. When you work selling sex to many men you get a tired worn out expression an indifference to those around you a sort of sad, hardened exterior.

Manet must have been quite observant or had personal knowledge of life in the bars and brothels of France, his work conveys a basic truth about the real emotions a sex worker has.


" When other artists correct nature by painting Venus they lie. Manet asked himself why he should lie. Why not tell the truth? "

Émile Zola defending Olympia as a masterpiece.