Artwork
Fish (Still Life)
Fish (Still Life) is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Edouard Manet. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
Fish (Still Life) is an oil-on-canvas painting by Édouard Manet, created during a period of intense focus on still-life compositions in 1864-1865.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a simple arrangement on a wooden table: two fish, a lemon, and a knife. The composition is enlivened by the placement of the carp, which counterbalances the strong diagonal formed by the other elements.
Technique & Style
Manet's bold brushwork and impasto technique give the painting a sense of vigor and immediacy. The flat, non-reflective colors used for the fish depart from the traditional still-life practice of creating highly realistic, eye-fooling representations.
History & Provenance
Manet sold his still lifes through Parisian art galleries and gave them to friends, rather than submitting them to the official French Salon. The painting was executed quickly, in just a few days.
Context
Manet's interest in still life coincided with the genre's growing acceptance among the middle class in 19th-century France. His still lifes recall 17th-century Dutch models, but with a distinctly modern, unorthodox approach.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Édouard Manet didn’t have much time to make his mark—he died at 51—but he used every year.
