AllMovie

This video is a profile of the French Impressionist Edouard Manet, whose unconventional painting style and subject matter changed the history of art. Eschewing the conventional religious and mythological topics, and the subdued palette favored by the salon critics of the day, Manet chose a bold palette and contemporary subjects. The life of common people interested him, and many of his paintings chronicle life in Paris. His painting Olympia stunned the art world in 1865. Not only was the subject a nude courtesan, but her steady, unapologetic gaze was scandalous. The film shows some of Manet's best works and also features writings by Manet, along with his friends Monet, Zola, and Baudelaire.