The stroll 1880

Édouard Manet made this painting with oil on canvas. The rich pigments, applied with visible brushstrokes, capture a moment of leisure, a fashionable woman enjoying a walk in what looks like a public garden. But look closer. Consider the industrial processes involved in producing not just the paint itself, but the clothing of the sitter. Her hat, dress, and jewelry involved the labor of countless anonymous makers. It is a study of modern life and the way it is structured by labor and capital. Manet’s quick, sure strokes, seem effortless, yet they represent a concentrated skill, cultivated through years of practice. In a sense, he is doing something similar, making something of value through dedicated work. This painting, like all artworks, represents a convergence of materials, making, and social context. It reminds us that even leisure is a product of labor.