Fifer

In 1860s, Manet’s paintings can not be comprehended by the contemporaries. He did not success in many exhibitions; the paintings which he made indoors have the same size like the real human gave people a wired impression. Such as” The Fifer”, was refused by the juries in 1866’s official exhibition.

This painting shows a little soldier from royal guard is fluting. The piccolo which is made from wood is used to guide the soldiers into action. In this painting there a young child who acts a fifer stands in the middle of the painting, Manet clearly shows the subtle differences about the hue on the gray background. We can not know where’s that space actually is, by the way, we could just have the impression which is some air flowing around the young boy. Because Manet wanted to portray the young boy look alone in the picture, so he avoided making this look like a parade or military training. The kid, clothes and piccolo are the only theme in the painting. We know the picture was made from the cold light in the painting room because of the shadow’s shape.

Manet joined the army when he was very young, he was a sailor. He looked at this boy in a mercy way when the boy was proud of his dress, the perfect uniform with a black jacket white shirt and a pair of red pants. Only the boy’s face and hands have some vitality compare to the stiff and no details background. The contemporaries accused that the painting is lack of the thickness and it is too simple. Between the background and the boy there is no contact, so it could not give people feel it is real and looks like a poker card. However, nowadays many people praise this picture and the reason is it is a big challenge for the impressionists draw a new kind of theme painting.

The juries at that time could never image this no theme no meaning picture cost millions of dollars today, also Manet finished it in very short time.   Manet used the easiest way to make the strongest confrontation. The advantage of this picture...