Eel and mullet Édouard Manet (1832-1883)

The painting Eel and Mullet by Édouard Manet depicts a still life featuring two fish arranged on a white cloth. A large, dark eel is coiled prominently in the foreground, its serpentine form dominating the composition. Behind it, a larger, silver-scaled mullet lies on its side, its head turned towards the viewer, revealing a reddish blush and a prominent eye. To the left, a large knife with a dark handle rests on the cloth, its metallic sheen subtly rendered, suggesting preparation for cooking or serving. The background is dark and indistinct, with a suggestion of a shadowy wall or drape, which serves to highlight the subject matter. The overall impression is one of raw, almost visceral realism, with bold brushstrokes and a stark contrast between light and shadow.
The subtexts of this painting can be interpreted in several ways. As a still life, it speaks to the tradition of genre painting, celebrating the bounty of nature and the domestic sphere. However, Manets approach is far from a simple, idealized representation. The eel, with its sinuous, almost sinister form, and the open-mouthed mullet, appear somewhat stark and even a little unsettling. This could be seen as a commentary on the unvarnished reality of food preparation, moving beyond the polished presentation of a finished meal to the raw ingredients themselves. The presence of the knife further emphasizes this aspect of consumption and the culinary process.
Furthermore, the painting can be viewed through the lens of Manets broader artistic concerns, particularly his interest in challenging traditional artistic conventions and his exploration of realism. The bold, almost painterly application of paint, rather than a smooth, polished finish, invites the viewer to consider the act of painting itself. The stark lighting and the dramatic arrangement of the fish contribute to a sense of immediacy and a departure from the more delicate and subdued still lifes of earlier periods. Some critics have also suggested that the somewhat stark and direct presentation of the fish, particularly the eel, might allude to themes of mortality or the primal aspects of life and death, given the artists own later health struggles. However, without further context from the artist, these remain interpretations.