Édouard Manet

I am influenced by everbody. But every time I put my hands in my pockets I find someone else's fingers there.

Conciseness in art is essential. The concise man makes one think.

One must be of one's time and paint what one sees.

You must always remain master of the situation and do what you please. No school tasks, ah, no! no tasks!

I never imagined that France could be represented by such doddering old fools, not excepting that little twit Thiers...

Only party hacks and the ambitious, the Henrys of this world following on the heels of the Milliéres, the grotesque imitators of the Commune of 1793... What an encouragement all these bloodthirsty caperings are for the arts! But there is at least one consolation in our misfortunes: that we're not politicians and have no desire to be elected as deputies.