Edouard Manet
Edouard Manet (1832-1883) was a highly influential French painter of the 19th century. He was the forerunner of the impressionists, and he is considered by many to be the father of modern art.
Early Life
Manet was born on January 23, 1832, to parents Auguste and Eugenie-Desiree. In 1848, at the age of sixteen, he embarked on the ship Le Hauvre et Guackloupe as a cabinboy. He was at sea for six months. Upon his return to Paris, he was able to persuade his family to allow him to devote himself to painting.
Career
Manet was, arguably, the most scandalous painter of his time. His nudes (particularly "The Picnic" and "Olympia") were the cause of great public uproar. His sketchy, spontaneous, and sometimes brutally honest technique inspired the most pivotal art movement since the renaissance - impressionism. Manet, like his good friend Edgar Degas, was a self-confessed urbanite, and many his works depicted life in the city. He died in Paris in 1883. He was 51.