Fish (Still Life)

1864

This painting, like many of Manet’s still lifes, recalls 17th-century Dutch models. The directness of execution, bold brushwork, and immediacy of vision, however, suggest why the public found Manet’s work so unorthodox and confrontational. While this painting depicts “dead nature” (nature morte is French for still life), there is nothing still about the work: the produce seems fresh and the handling of the paint vigorous.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Édouard Manet (French, 1832–1883)

Date

1864

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

73.5 × 92.4 cm (28 15/16 × 36 3/8 in.); Framed: 108.6 × 127 × 12.7 cm (42 3/4 × 50 × 5 in.)

Origin

France

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Larned Coburn Memorial Collection