Kevin Anderson - Manet & Monet

The painting by Claude Monet named “The Rue Montorgueil” and “The Rue Mosnier with Flags” by Manet is two paintings of the French Festival in 1878.  Both these paintings are similar in that they are painted with impressionist motives.  Both are covered with rough brushstrokes and have the use of bright colors.  Both these paintings are works of avant-garde and both are not as simple as they seem.  The subjects of both of them are very political and the colors in each are used to tell the story.

  The “Rue Montorgueil” by Monet is very rough with brushstrokes and it is more difficult to make out what the subject matter is.  The painting is of a crowded street lined with tall buildings with many French colored flags being flown from the windows.  This is a picture of celebration, as if a party has lasted for weeks and the streets are still alive.  The colors used in this painting are bright and colorful and the balance of color and depth achieved from perspective are quite extraordinary.  At a glance you see a colorful mess and when you stop and look at it deeply, you see all the details start jumping out.    The “Rue Montorgueil” is less avant garde in my opinion, because this painting is a picture of French pride and celebration.  It doesn’t offer any disparaging commentary on the current day’s politics.  

In contrast however, is the “Rue Mosnier” by Manet.  The avant gardism is apparent with the subject matter.  It shows a lessened importance on the celebratory and it clearly magnifies the position of a one legged man, assumed to be a war veteran, making his way to work.  What kind of life is it to have to work after so much sacrifice has been given.   I’m sure this painting was made to be a negative commentary on celebrating  continued work and meager means.  The “Rue Mosnier” is much more subtle in color, with much of it being simple earth tones and far less bright colors.  The colors are still there, just they are off to the side and are not a focal point to the piece.  The colorful flags seem to just be a marker in time so the viewer can related when this picture was captured.  It is littered with subjects and focal points that show life as usual happening.  Nothing more.  This to me is an intended slight on the people in charge letting them know that even though the flags fly, the people at the bottom don’t get any treatment for their sacrifice. 

Both these paintings move me and spark emotions both for a positive future as with the “Rue Montorgueil” by Monet, and for the negative as if nothing will change in the “Rue Mosnier” by Manet.  As they are so alike in style and size, they are vastly different if you take your political look at them.  One is of the big party and the other is the behind the scenes look.  I suppose there is the option that Manet painting his as a look at normal life, where perhaps Monet was grandiose and sought out something glorious to depict in his painting.