Der Absinthtrinker

1856–1858

Baudelaire and the studio on Rue Lavoisier

In 1856–1858 Manet became known as a promising artist and was invited to various salons, forming a particularly warm friendship with the poet Charles Baudelaire. Together with Count Albert de Balleroy he rented premises on Rue Lavoisier as a studio, and went to the Louvre every day to copy famous paintings.

1859

“The Absinthe Drinker” rejected; a final break with Couture

In 1859 Manet decided that his education was complete and submitted “The Absinthe Drinker” to the Salon; Couture reacted negatively and Manet finally broke with his teacher. The Salon jury rejected the painting: only Delacroix voted for it, while Couture voted against.

1861

His first participation in the Salon

In 1861 the Salon accepted two canvases by Manet: “Portrait of Monsieur and Madame Manet” and “The Spanish Singer”. Critics received the portrait coldly, while “The Spanish Singer” was admired by Théophile Gautier and, because of its popularity, hung in a more conspicuous place; the work intrigued young artists and brought new business to his studio.

1862

“Music in the Tuileries”: the fury of the public

In 1862 Manet exhibited “Music in the Tuileries” (probably painted in 1860), where the strollers include the poet Baudelaire, the musician Offenbach and the artist himself. It mostly provoked fury: the thick brushstrokes looked crude and unfinished, several visitors threatened to destroy the canvas; Delacroix defended it, and the controversy made Manet a well-known name in Paris.

c. 1862

Victorine Meurent: model and lover

Victorine-Louise Meurent, a young provincial eager to escape poverty, posed for “The Street Singer”; soon the painter and his model were bound not only by creative but by intimate ties. Rumours spread across Paris, but Suzanne either learned nothing or did not let on.

1862

His father dies; living on his inheritance

Manet's father, Auguste, died in 1862. Édouard's paintings still failed to sell, and he continued living off his inheritance.