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The Fifer
The painting depicts a scrawny boy, a young fife player in the military uniform of the Spanish army, set against a neutral, flat background that prevents determination of his actual size and significance. The style of the painting is characterized by simplified details, clear contours, and expressive brushstrokes.
Portrait of the Creator
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Artist
Edouard Manet
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Date of birth and death
23 January 1832 – 30 April 1883
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Natinality
French
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Style
Early modernist, Realism to Impressionism transition, loose brushwork, flatness, photographic lighting
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Significant works
The Luncheon on the Grass, Olympia, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, The Fifer
Information about the work
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Year:
1866
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Execution technique:
oil on canvas
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Location:
Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France
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Theme:
child portrait, music, military fifer
Internal Narrative and Creative Framework
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Inner Narrative
Manet reverses the scheme of Velázquez's court portraits, presenting an anonymous figure of a young musician, focusing on the decorative effect of a single figure on a plain background.
The key to interpreting the work
Interpret as an expression of realism and a modern approach to portraiture, emphasizing the individuality and presence of the figure despite the lack of spatial context.See other works by this artist
