Peaches 1882

Editor: Here we have Manet's "Peaches" from 1882, rendered in oil paint. It's a seemingly simple still life, yet the texture of the peaches and leaves feels almost palpable. What do you see beyond the surface of these fruits? Curator: This piece speaks volumes about the commercial and social contexts of 19th-century France. Think about the rise of the bourgeoisie, their increased consumption, and how artists like Manet began depicting everyday objects. Notice the materiality of the paint itself – the thick impasto that gives the peaches their weight. It is no accident that Manet chose to paint Peaches! These represented luxury, attainable to more and more people at this time. What can the painting's process tell us? Editor: I hadn't considered the peaches as signifiers of bourgeois consumption. So the way Manet applies the paint—the impasto—is part of this commentary? Curator: Absolutely. Manet's deliberate brushstrokes are vital. In painting "alla prima", in one session, is in line with a developing consumer culture of immediacy. He challenges traditional art by embracing a certain ‘speed’ in production, linking art making to new forms of manufacturing in the post-industrial world. Editor: That’s fascinating! So it's not just about what's depicted, but how it's made and what those production choices signify. Curator: Exactly. Think about the availability of oil paints during that era, too. Mass production of materials like this made artistic expression more accessible, reflecting a shift in artistic labour. The canvas is an element we can see as both the thing that enables the image, but is also something that is bought and sold in bulk. Editor: This makes me reconsider how I see still life. It's not just about beauty, it's about material culture. Curator: Precisely. It reveals the changing relationship between art, materials, and society during the late 19th century. A seemingly straightforward still life ends up revealing an image deeply embedded with commercial conditions.