"I’ve never understood rivalry between men who can appreciate and understand each other."
George Sand (writer)
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It’s a beautiful summer day in 1874. The French painter Claude Monet and his family are out in their garden, tending to the flowers and lounging in the grass.
Nearby, their friend Edouard Manet is working on a canvas, painting his impression of the charming outdoor scene… which doesn’t remain charming for long.
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Photographs of Manet (left) and Monet (right).
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What changes the mood? The arrival of another painter and friend of the Monet family, Auguste Renoir.
Equally inspired by the touching moment, Renoir quickly sets up and starts painting beside Manet.
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Edouard Manet, "The Monet Family in Their Garden at Argenteuil", 1874, oil on canvas, 24 inches x 39.25 inches, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Enlarge Image
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While working, Manet steals a glance at his neighbor’s canvas. He grimaces, irritated that their subjects are so similar. Whispering into Monet's ear, he observes, "That boy has no talent. You’re his friend. Tell him to give up painting."
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Pierre-Auguste Renoir, "Camille Monet and Her Son Jean in Their Garden", 1874, oil on canvas, 19.8 inches x 26.7 inches, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Enlarge Image
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Although both Manet and Renoir paid particular attention to capturing the unique character of light and movement in the garden, they created noticeably different pieces.
Renoir’s work, with its subtle warmth, focuses on Mrs. Monet and her son, Jean. With his soft, blurry brushstrokes, he conveys the pleasant mood. In contrast, Manet’s painting is a bit colder and more representational. His canvas, which includes Claude gardening in the background, seems as concerned about accurately conveying the afternoon’s events as it does about reflecting the atmosphere.
Years later, Monet discussed the backyard paint-off. Although it wasn’t an official competition, he suggested that he may have preferred one work more than the other. When asked about that afternoon, Monet said he had appreciated the "delicious Renoir painting."
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From top left to right, Renoir’s rooster, Manet’s rooster, Renoir’s portrait of Camille Monet and Manet’s portrait of Camille Monet.
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I’ve never understood rivalry between men who can appreciate and understand each other.
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George Sand (writer)
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Henri Fantin-Latour, "Studio at Les Batignolles", 1870, oil on canvas, Musée d’Orsay. Manet is painting at the easel, Renoir is standing before the empty frame and Monet stands at far right. Enlarge Image
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In what city did Philippe Ramette take this photograph?
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Contact Co-Founders Coline and Jean at hello@artips.co.
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