Question

• what aspects of édouard manet's le déjeuner sur l'herbe (luncheon on the grass) discomfited many viewers when it was first exhibited?

Answer 1

Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe is a large oil on canvas by Édouard Manet. It shows two women, one with no clothes on and one with very few clothes, and two fully dressed men in a park. When presented for the first time, the painting was very controversial.

Viewers were shocked due to three main factors. The first one is the technique. The painting lacks depth, and the necessary shadows to make it look like it was painted outside. Moreover, the male and female figures contrast in terms of their colour, with the female figures being much brighter than the male ones.

The second reason is the lack of clothes of the women, who are casually having lunch with fully clothed men.

Finally, the gaze of the woman was also subject of debate, as it is not clear what her intention is, or what she feels towards the viewer.