This realistic work is a masterpiece due to its composition, color scheme and details without the latter being fully developed. Manet is considered to have heralded the beginning of modern art with his Dejeuner sur l'herbe, in which the world was no longer idealized but was painted according to natural truth. This work had first been rejected and maligned in 1863 and was therefore widely seen as the turning point towards modern painting. Manet paved the way for contemporary artists.

This work of, among other things, gurnard and oysters dates from 1864 and hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago together with 108 other works by Edouard Manet, including many etchings that were used in a book by Edgar Poe: Le Corbeau.

The copper pot in the painting suggests that a fish soup, for example a bouillabaisse, is made here. A richly filled fish soup that originally comes from Marseille. After a hard day's work, fishermen would light a charcoal fire and make a meal from the remains of the catch. Of course we share a typical fish soup here as they make it in the Mediterranean.

Ingredients

1 onion chopped

1 leek in rings

400 grams of ripe peeled tomatoes

4 tablespoons of olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 envelope of saffron

1 piece of orange peel

salty; pepper

800 grams of fish fillet (Manet has depicted oysters, gurnard, eel and carp)

800 milliliters of fish stock

1 dl dry white wine

2-3 cloves of garlic

1-2 slices of white bread

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

juice of 1/2 lemon

pinch of sea salt

approx. 100 ml extra virgin olive oil

pinch of cayenne pepper

Preparation method of Bouillabaisse
Fry the onion and leek in the oil for about 8 minutes.

Squeeze the garlic above it and add the tomatoes, herbs and orange peel.

Heat everything for about 10 minutes over medium heat, until the tomatoes are soft. Remove the orange peel. Season with salt and pepper. Add the fish stock and white wine.

Cut the fish fillets into equal pieces and add them (the firmest fish first, the softest fish last). Open the oysters and also add oyster liquid and the oysters. Allow the fish to cook towards the boil for about 10 minutes.

For the Rouille

Remove the seeds and seeds from the peppers and chop them finely. Crush them with the peeled garlic in the mortar. Soak the white bread (without crust) in water, squeeze well and mix with the pepper mixture. Stir in 1 tbsp, lemon juice, tomato puree, mustard and 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil until you get a smooth, thickened sauce. Season with pepper and sea salt.



Serve with baguette or croutons with gruyere cheese and a rouille