Madame Jeanne Martin in a bonnet 1881

Edouard Manet created this portrait of Madame Jeanne Martin with pastels on canvas. The delicate lines and soft hues give the artwork a serene, dreamlike quality, drawing you into its quiet intimacy. Manet's use of pastel is particularly striking. He masterfully blends shades of ochre, gray and blue to model her face and bonnet. The rough texture of the canvas contrasts with the smoothness of the pastel strokes, creating a dynamic tension. The sketch like execution, with its visible strokes and unfinished background, challenges academic conventions. Manet was interested in the idea of modernity. Rejecting traditional approaches to portraiture he instead focused on capturing the fleeting impressions of modern life. In this portrait, he captures a sense of immediacy, a snapshot of a woman in a moment of quiet contemplation. This emphasis on the present moment rather than on idealised beauty reflects Manet's commitment to realism. The composition invites us to engage with new ways of seeing and experiencing the world around us.