Invested by the sacred fire of modernity, he's considered by some as the unofficial leader of impressionism, a movement to which he didn't want to be affiliated.
Invested by the sacred fire of modernity, he's considered by some as the unofficial leader of impressionism, a movement to which he didn't want to be affiliated. Manet always maintained a distance from the Impressionists, while keeping a very good relationship with them, between inspiration and protection. Manet shared with Degas a deep interest in academic validation: he wished to modify academism, not to confront it like most Impressionists. This explains why his subjects were so different from most of the other members of the group, and it also explains why he didn't participate in any joint exhibitions, although he appreciated his fellow artists of artistic revolution.