Edouard Manet (1832 - 1883) repeatedly shocked the Parisian audience with his paintings. He was revered as a role model by the Impressionists and praised by posterity as the "inventor of modernity." Oskar Bätschmann's concise introduction traces the painter's career, presents his work within its artistic and historical contexts, and explains the explosive impact of famous works such as "Le déjeuner sur l'herbe," "Olympia," and "The Execution of Emperor Maximilian." As a keen observer of his time, Manet did not shy away from openly criticizing Napoleon III in his paintings and created a new style of painting that sought to reflect modern life and the metropolis of Paris.