Polichinelle 1874

Editor: Here we have Édouard Manet’s watercolor, "Polichinelle", from 1874. I am really struck by the rough and ready, sketchy quality. What can you tell us about this work? Curator: Considering Manet’s social context, we see him engaging with popular culture through this watercolor rendering of Polichinelle, a character rooted in Commedia dell’Arte. It’s critical to remember how artists like Manet negotiated between “high” art and accessible forms of entertainment. Editor: That makes sense. Is the watercolor medium itself a commentary of some kind? Curator: Precisely. Watercolor was often considered less formal, less "serious" than oil painting. By choosing watercolor, Manet blurs those hierarchical boundaries, suggesting the “low-brow” entertainment found its way into, and had merit for, “high” art circles. What do you make of the gestural brushstrokes, the visible hand of the artist? Editor: They add to the immediate, almost journalistic, quality. Was it common for artists to represent figures from popular entertainment at that time? Curator: Absolutely. The rise of industrialization and urbanization fostered a burgeoning popular culture, from which artists drew inspiration. Think of the music halls, the posters, the burgeoning print industry, how do those developments influence this image in front of us? Editor: That really frames the context differently, it makes me realize how modern this approach was. Curator: Indeed!