Transcript
EMILY BEENY: Tremendous attention has been lavished on the rosy full features of the face of Madame Manet, clearly beloved and familiar to her husband. We have a sense of a pretty intimate encounter really between the sitter and the artist, certainly a sense of deep familiarity and mutual trust.
NARRATOR: This private work was never intended for exhibition. You can see that in the way it is left largely unfinished. Notice her clasped hands. Her dress, something that in other works is of interest bordering on obsession, lacks specific details. And there’s a hint of her feather-topped black hat parasol sitting next to her on the green bench.
Nevertheless, Gloria Groom sees evidence of Manet’s careful consideration.
GLORIA GROOM: There’s something wonderful about the white lace that is in this semicircular design and this white semicircle of flowers that you see around her collar. That he’s not only moving our eye, but making a very harmonious and rather exquisite reference to lace, and flowers, and femininity.
NARRATOR: With her gentle expression, ruddy complexion, and dark, shape-less dress, Suzanne Leenhoff is presented here as a proper nineteenth century housewife. But Manet first knew her as his piano teacher.
EMILY BEENY: She’s clearly an independent woman, a great talent as a pianist and their early friendship and relationship had this very sort of bohemian quality, you know, that she comes into their house really as an artist and poses nude for him before they’re married.
