The Spanish Singer 1861 - 1862

Editor: Here we have Manet's "The Spanish Singer," an etching. The stark contrast of light and shadow creates such a striking image, and the textures seem so palpable. What can you tell me about its composition? Curator: Observe how Manet uses line to define form, almost independently of shading. Note, for instance, the strategic placement of hatching lines to suggest volume in the figure's trousers and jacket, versus the background. Editor: The varying densities really do create a sense of depth and texture. What does this emphasis on form communicate? Curator: Manet’s focus on surface and the act of representation itself. It presages modernism’s concern with the inherent qualities of the medium. I wonder, what did you notice about the guitar? Editor: How the curves echo the figure's pose. I hadn't considered the echo before. Curator: Precisely, and notice its placement almost centrally. Form becomes content. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. Thank you.