Autumn (Study of Mery Laurent) 1882

Curator: Standing before us is Manet’s “Autumn (Study of Mery Laurent),” an oil on canvas completed in 1882. The work is currently held at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nancy. Editor: My first impression is that the woman's profile is so sharply defined against the rather soft, dreamlike quality of the background. Curator: Indeed. Laurent was a famous Parisian actress and Manet's muse. I find the painting interesting, especially considering Manet’s involvement with Impressionism and his move to capture modern life. Editor: I see echoes of past depictions of women – something almost neoclassical in the posture, contrasted against what looks to be a stylized, perhaps Japanese-inspired background. Could he be using the imagery as an examination of femininity as a commodity? Curator: A possibility. It would fit with the political awareness in his other artworks, like his controversial paintings on contemporary war. Although on its face, the work feels lighter, the background wallpaper does seem deliberately flattened. There's a definite flattening of depth, which many suggest could reflect the transience of fame, or the shallowness of some social circles. Editor: Interesting, yes the symbolic association between women and the transience of Autumn might reflect a contemporary awareness about female aging and value in the society of spectacle, how quickly the crowds might leave and forget you. Curator: Precisely. The juxtaposition he sets up begs for that reading. The painting, in the end, speaks volumes about societal pressures. The brown, somber hues in contrast to her bright face might reveal internal restraint to external projections of beauty. Editor: Absolutely. Her beauty, the beauty of Autumn itself; it all fades, yet, art like this offers a timeless glimpse, perhaps, into that ephemeral nature. Curator: Agreed. Manet captures that sentiment. This gives us more than just an impression, it gives us a lasting reflection.