Luncheon Édouard Manet (1832-1883)
Édouard Manet – Luncheon
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Painter: Édouard Manet
Location: New Pinakothek (Neue Pinakothek), Munich.
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The painting Breakfast in the Studio is rather atypical of the work of Manet, the founder of Impressionism. It is a mixture of genres--portrait, still life, and a typical domestic subject. In the center of the painting is a young man leaning carelessly on a table with breakfast leftovers. This is Leon, a relative of Manet’s wife. The young man’s absent gaze is directed somewhere in the distance.
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Description of Eduard Manet’s painting Breakfast in the Studio
The painting Breakfast in the Studio is rather atypical of the work of Manet, the founder of Impressionism. It is a mixture of genres--portrait, still life, and a typical domestic subject.
In the center of the painting is a young man leaning carelessly on a table with breakfast leftovers. This is Leon, a relative of Manet’s wife. The young man’s absent gaze is directed somewhere in the distance. To his left is a maid with a silver pitcher of coffee, and to his right is a man with a hat and a cigarette.
The left side of the picture is occupied by the artist’s traditional props - weapons. There you can also see some hint of dynamism - a black cat.
The painting was first exhibited at the Salon in 1869. Critics received it with a certain perplexity - they could not imagine how a sword, a cat and a woman with a coffee pot could be combined in one picture. Ultimately, the painting was received quite favorably - all the incongruous objects take their place, creating a harmonious composition.
You can see borrowings from other artists - Velázquez, Chardin, Vermeer - in the picture. For example, the woman with the coffee pot and the wall frame are most likely taken from Vermeer, while the knife lying on the table is from Chardin.
The uniqueness of the painting is that the artist does not linger on one subject. Leon, the woman with the coffee pot and the lemon on the table are equivalent for him. Bringing a person and a still life into one, Manet gets new opportunities for further experimentation. In creating this canvas, the artist proves that the composition of the picture is determined not so much by the subject as by a specific set of graphic means.
All three characters in the picture are kept apart. They don’t communicate with each other, they have absolutely nothing in common. They are as different pieces of furniture as a sword and a black cat sitting next to each other.
The painting is a natural continuation and addition of the famous Breakfast on the Grass.
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To his left stands a woman, her posture suggesting a hesitant or watchful presence. She is clad in a muted grey dress, holding a silver serving tray with a large urn. Her gaze is averted, contributing to a sense of unease or perhaps quiet observation. Behind them, partially obscured by a window and foliage, another figure sits at a table laden with food – bread, fruit (particularly lemons), and what appears to be fish. A man with a full beard leans forward, seemingly engaged in conversation, while his companion wears a top hat and looks off-frame.
The lighting is uneven; the foreground is brightly illuminated, creating stark contrasts with the darker recesses of the room. This technique draws attention to the young man and emphasizes his isolation within the scene. The window behind him allows glimpses of an exterior space, hinting at a connection between the interior world of the meal and something beyond its confines.
The objects scattered on the floor – what appear to be hunting implements – add another layer of ambiguity. They suggest a recent activity or perhaps a hobby that contrasts with the refined setting of the luncheon. The presence of these items introduces an element of potential disruption, hinting at a narrative that extends beyond the immediate visual representation.
The overall effect is one of suspended time and understated tension. It’s not merely a depiction of a meal; its a study in social dynamics, unspoken narratives, and the subtle complexities of human interaction. The artist seems to be less interested in portraying a straightforward event than in exploring the psychological undercurrents that lie beneath the surface of everyday life.