Monet vs Manet

Manet, The Rue Mosnier with Flags

              During the 19^th century France went through trails and tribulations. The French Empire collapses in 1870; Napoleon III is defeated by Otto von Bismarck, Prussian leader. Then as a reaction to a new government the people of France start the largest urban uprising of the 19^th century, this is called the Paris Commune of 1871. The uprising lasts 72 days, from March to May. Many lost their lives during the Franco-Prussian war and the Commune as well as destruction of Haussmannized, remodeled, Paris that began in 1851. After the devastation of war, France begins to rebuild and is mostly recuperated by 1878.  Later as a way to remember and celebrate France creates a national festival on June 30^th, 1878. Claude Monet and Edouard Manet capture their own plein air interpretations of the festival. During the festival Monet creates The Rue Monotorguil, and Manet creates The Rue Mosnier with Flags, when compared the paintings share many similarities and differences.
             Both paintings convey very different moods. Monet’s painting expresses the joy and happiness the French may have been feeling during the festival in 1878. The brushstrokes utilized for the tricolor flags emphasize a joyous feeling. The people are mostly abstracted lines but the way they fill the street brings out liveliness in Monet’s painting. Manet’s painting on the other hand appears less energetic, and there is far less people on this street. Manet is known for painting white and black juxtapositions. In this particular painting the dark carriage and the Veteran’s blue jacket are juxtaposed 

Monet, The Rue Monotorguil

to the stark white sunny street. The starkness of the street lacks happiness and conveys loneliness.  Both paintings have similar but generally different compositions. Monet’s composition depicts the festival from a high window looking down, where as Manet’s appears to be raised and slightly angled down. The paintings share technical radicalism; the brushstrokes are loose and spontaneous, with overlapping applications and paint appears thick in areas. The festival paintings were painted outdoors, and appear to be a short moment of time. In both paintings subject matter is mainly influenced by what the artist is witnessing, which is the Festival of June 30^th, 1878. At this time many artist stopped producing works that had political reference, and started painting French utopia.  Monet’s subject matter reflects a utopia of happy celebration yet still being haunted by past misery. Manet’s subject matter with an emphasis on the Veteran could be influenced by his first hand experience of the Prussian war. Perhaps there is an emphasis on the amputated Veteran to remind society of the sacrifices that were made for their revolution and the reason for celebration.

     The definition of “avant-garde” during this time has been affected by war. Artists shifted away from Saint-Simon ideals of “avant-garde.” Saint-Simon believed that art should motivate society to move forward and change for the better.  This also means that art should reference political issues. Monet’s painting of the festival does not incorporate political radicalism yet it does involve artistic radicalism. In Monet’s painting there are loose brushstrokes, thick paint application, and his painting is spontaneous plein air. Artistic radicalism is when an artist chooses to use techniques that would not necessarily be accepted by Academic standards. The canvas would appear flattened, and usually would have thick application of rough paint. Manet’s painting is artistically radical and politically radical.  The subject matter in Manet’s painting incorporates the ideal of bettering society, reminding viewers of the country’s past tribulations by emphasizing the disabled Veteran.

      The festival on June 30^th, 1878 was captured by 19^th century artists Claude Monet and Edouard Manet. Each painting has its own vibe, style and message. Overall both paintings remember yet hide the tribulations of war.