“The Burial,” created around 1867 by the French artist Édouard Manet, is an oil painting completed during his time in Paris, France. Belonging to the Realism art movement, the artwork is executed on canvas with dimensions measuring 72.7 x 90.5 cm. It is considered a genre painting, which depicts scenes of everyday life.
The artwork itself appears to show a panoramic landscape with classical architecture in the background. Dominating the skyline is a large domed structure, possibly suggestive of a church or an important public building, alongside other buildings that recede into the horizon, indicating an urban setting. The painting is characterized by a dramatic sky with contrasts of dark clouds and lighter patches, contributing to a somewhat brooding atmosphere.
In the foreground, on what appears to be a hillside, there’s a group of figures gathered around a central, dark object which could be a coffin, consistent with the title of the work, “The Burial.” This may be a funeral procession or a scene from a burial, and the figures are painted in a way that emphasizes the solemn mood of the scene. On the right side of the painting, a horse-drawn hearse or carriage is prominently featured, and figures dressed in somber attire are scattered throughout the composition. The use of loose, expressive brushstrokes and a subdued color palette are indicative of Manet’s style during this period and also contribute to the overall melancholic ambiance of the painting.
