Femme lisant

A woman in dark clothes reads the newspaper in a café, a glass on the table in front of her. In the late 19th century, it was unusual for an unaccompanied woman to drink in public; it is possible that this woman is a prostitute. In this café scene, Manet was following poet and art critic Charles Baudelaire’s notions about the beauty of modern life. The pastel presents a quick impression of the modern age, but at the same time reveals the loneliness of the city dweller. Although Manet sought the recognition of the official, academic Salon, the selection committees condemned his modern designs and technique. Inspired by Japanese and Spanish art, Manet chose an unusual perspective and worked with large areas of colour, contrasts and pure black. He used the same techniques in this pastel to emphasize the flatness of the work.