Manet Paintings at the Norton Simon

My friend, Nancy, and I enjoyed the Manet paintings at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena.  "The Railway" painting by Edouard Manet, 1873, is on loan from the National Gallery of Art.  It is company with other Manet paintings as well as works by Courbet and other artists of that era in France.  Much has been written about Manet and much has been projected into his work.  What we know is that he painted a diverse view of his era in Paris and we return to appreciate his works as often as possible.

Here are a few that we appreciated on last Monday:

"The Railway,"  by Edouard Manet (French, 1832-1883), is on loan from the National Gallery of Art and is featured on a wall with coordinating blue wall panel behind it.  The following two paintings on on either side.
One may project that the woman and girl may be mother, daughter, sister, governess and that they are waiting for someone coming on a train or  the women is just reading and may feel interrupted by the viewer.  What ever the theme, I was was  moved by the colors and the  puppy on her lap and what wondered why a bunch of grapes are setting on the low wall in the lower right corner.  It was fun to project what might be going on in the artist's mind as her created this scene. 

"Still Life with Fish and Shrimp," 1864
Art critic Emile Zola is quoted as saying "Even the most determined enemies of Edouard Manet's talent admit that he paints inanimate objects well."

"Madame Manet," 1874-76.
Manet's wife was Suzanne Leenhoff  was famous for her even temper.

"Ragpicker," 1865-1870
This is my favorite Manet at the Norton Simon.  This large painting greets one at the end of a long wing of 19th century paintings.  It demonstrates Manet's interest in painting all elements of Parisian life during his time.  I project dignity in this old man who is doing what he can to support himself, collecting rags to sell to paper manufacturers.