Who painted Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe?

Who painted Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe?

• A. Monet
• B. Degas
• C. Manet
• D. Courbet

Answer: (C)

This question tests your knowledge of a pivotal moment in art history and who created a work that challenged established conventions. Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe, or The Luncheon on the Grass, was painted by Édouard Manet in 1863. It presents a nude woman seated with two clothed men in a sunlit park, rendered in a modern, candid way that places a contemporary, urban leisure scene on par with classical subjects. The provocative combination of a contemporary setting, casual nudity, and a painterly approach that often left forms less polished than academic ideals sparked intense controversy when it was exhibited, signaling a shift away from strict academic painting toward the modern language of Realism and, later, Impressionism. This attribution fits Manet, whose work is closely tied to that moment of reform in French painting. In contrast, Monet is more associated with capturing fleeting light and color in landscapes and scenes of nature, Degas with dancers and urban interior moments, and Courbet with blunt Realist depictions of social life; none of them produced this particular composition.

This question tests your knowledge of a pivotal moment in art history and who created a work that challenged established conventions. Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe, or The Luncheon on the Grass, was painted by Édouard Manet in 1863. It presents a nude woman seated with two clothed men in a sunlit park, rendered in a modern, candid way that places a contemporary, urban leisure scene on par with classical subjects. The provocative combination of a contemporary setting, casual nudity, and a painterly approach that often left forms less polished than academic ideals sparked intense controversy when it was exhibited, signaling a shift away from strict academic painting toward the modern language of Realism and, later, Impressionism. This attribution fits Manet, whose work is closely tied to that moment of reform in French painting. In contrast, Monet is more associated with capturing fleeting light and color in landscapes and scenes of nature, Degas with dancers and urban interior moments, and Courbet with blunt Realist depictions of social life; none of them produced this particular composition.