Luncheon on the Grass: A Work of Art Ahead of Its Time

Altidor, Samuel

Professor Lemeh

ARH 2000

Blog Entry 2

Word Count: 282

28 June 2013

Luncheon on the Grass: A Work of Art Ahead of Its Time

            After watching the movie “The Impressionists”, the painting “Luncheon on the Grass” by Édouard Manet caught my attention. After taking a closer look at the painting, I could understand why the Paris Academy Salon rejected it. I believe that the painting was rejected not because it wasn’t a beautiful work of art, but because it was way ahead of its time. The painting depicts two men in dark clothes juxtaposed by the warm, creamy, and nude body of a woman.  They were sitting outdoors, on the grass, in the woods somewhere, after what looks like a picnic. What was shocking in the painting was the fact that the woman was directly and brazenly looking at the viewers as if to invite them to take part of the debauchery that will soon ensue. Despite being in the midst of clothed men, she seemed well at ease, and unperturbed. This type of brazen behavior was in direct violation of every rule on decency and morality set forth by the Parisian society of the time. That’s why at the beginning of the movie, one of the viewers even attacked the painting with an umbrella. That’s how outrageous the painting was.  Even today, I believe the painting would offend the sensitivity of more conservative viewers. I can only imagine how much more offensive it must have been about 2 centuries ago. The Society of 1863 Paris was not ready to publicly display such raunchy works of art; it was not ready for the emotions the painting inspired in the viewers at the time.