Caillebotte, Berthe Morisot, the young painter Bazille, who met his
premature death in 1870, and by the writers Gautier, Banville,
Baudelaire (who was a passionate admirer of Manet's); then later by
Zola, the Goncourts, and Stéphane Mallarmé. This was the first nucleus
of a public which was to increase year by year. Manet had the personal
qualities of a chief; he was a man of spirit, an ardent worker, and an
enthusiastic and generous character.

[Illustration: MANET

THE DEAD TOREADOR]

Manet commenced his first studies with Couture. After having travelled a
good deal at sea to obey his parents, his vocation took hold of him
irresistibly. About 1850 the young man entered the studio of the severe
author of the _Romains de la Décadence_. His stay was short. He
displeased the professor by his uncompromising energy. Couture said of
him angrily: "He will become the Daumier of 1860." It is known that
Daumier, lithographer, and painter of genius, was held in meagre esteem
by the academicians. Manet travelled in Germany after the _coup d'etat_,
copied Rembrandt in Munich, then went to Italy, copied Tintoretto in
Venice, and conceived there the idea of several religious pictures. Then
he became enthusiastic about the Spaniards, especially Velasquez and
Goya. The sincere expression of things seen took root from this moment
as the principal rule of art in the brain of this young Frenchman who
was loyal, ardent, and hostile to all subtleties. He painted some fine
works, like the _Buveur d'absinthe_ and the _Vieux musicien_. They show
the influence of Courbet, but already the blacks and the greys have an
original and superb quality; they announce a virtuoso of the first
order.