In 1863, the French painter Ernest Meissonier was one of the most famous artists in the world. By contrast, in that same year, Manet, who would become known as the father of Impressionism, was struggling in obscurity. In reality, this ten-year-period to 1874, was a time of great social and political ferment. And at the same time, a group of artists were challenging the establishment by refusing to paint classical or historical subjects and instead, were painting landscapes and ordinary people.
