Boating Édouard Manet (1832-1883)

Description of Edouard Manet’s painting "In the Boat"

The painting was born under the brush of Édouard Manet in 1874. Today it is preserved in New York at the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art.

On the canvas we can see a girl, quite young, and a man. They are nestled in a boat with a sail. The man is dressed in the latest fashion, he is wearing a canotier. He sat down at the stern and steered the boat with his left hand. The young girl has allowed herself to lie down a bit, while leaning on the edge of the sailboat. The artist built the composition in such a way that all the figures depicted on it were as close to the viewer. Manet decided to leave the boat outside the picture. Only a small part of the bottom and only a tiny part of the sails are visible to the viewer. This gives the illusion of being on the boat.

The background is water, a very beautiful color. It’s almost blue, with a slight play of emerald splashes. Manet used a light color scheme, which helped him to convey the air, its freshness. The artist was able to show us the real transparency of the air.

The canvas is painted in the style of Impressionism. This style has the power to convey a sense of movement. At the same time the artist does not forget to emphasize how the people and silhouettes he portrays are united with the environment.

Critics and art historians who have studied Manet’s life and works believe that the painter portrayed his relative, Rodolphe Leenhoff, as the helmsman. We are not entirely sure who was the prototype for the girl portrayed by the painter, but there are speculations and versions that it was Claude Monet’s wife who was the first, Camille Doncier.

Art historians believe that Manet’s work "In the Boat" is one of the most important words in art. Looking at the canvas, we can feel the light breeze. It creates a sense of presence, joy and freshness.