Silentium
1862-64
Édouard Manet drew this stern monk around 1862, right before he shocked the Paris art world with his bold Impressionist paintings. The figure, labeled 'Silentium' at the bottom, holds a finger to his lips in a universal 'shhh' gesture, clutching a book as if caught in the middle of a lecture. The scratchy ink lines give the heavy robes a sense of weight and texture. It's a humorous take on monastic silence, making the viewer feel like they've just been caught talking in a library.
- Technique
- Ink drawing
- Material
- Paper