Rivals or accomplices? Manet / Degas at the Musée d’Orsay

The museum compares works by Edouard Manet and Edgar Degas, two pivotal figures in the history of modern Art from the 1860s-1880s, with over seventy of their paintings and sketches on show. The two have often been compared as they have a lot in common and should therefore be observed in light of their contrasts. Both came from respectable families, dropped out of school to pursue their love for painting, joined the same intellectual circles, had the same friends (the Morisot workshop was made available to them and in fact they were the ones who encouraged Berthe Morisot to focus on her painting) and used the same models. This did not, however, extend to their work the resulting atmosphere created differs greatly! Despite both artists being part of the Impressionist movement and often working on similar themes, there were subtle differences in style.

The similarities and contrasts in their work can be seen here in the way they reinvented framing and generous strokes of paint. As legend has it, they met at the Louvre while contemplating a painting by Velasquez they both intended copying. They developed a friendship based on mutual admiration yet later full of disagreements and rivalry. The most memorable time Degas got angry with Manet was when he saw what his friend had done to the portrait he had painted of Manet lounging on a sofa listening to his wife playing the piano – Manet had sliced it in half, removing the section representing his wife! Degas took the mutilated painting home without saying goodbye and returned the small still life Manet had offered him previously. However, it was apparently near impossible to bear the highly sociable Manet a grudge for long and Degas was the first to sing praises of his rival-friend’s work when he passed away and to collect his paintings.

This is the leading exhibition this spring, which we suggest completing with a tour of the Pastels exhibition, also on show at the museum. It is a massive exhibition of works from the museum’s collections, including delicate portraits by Manet and dancers and women dressing which Degas produced towards the end of his life using bold, yet refined colour, resulting in an unequalled modernity. Between the exhibitions, we recommend lunch at the museum’s restaurant where a special Manet/Degas menu is on offer: asparagus, honey pork ribs and absinthe crème brûlée, in tribute to their paintings!