Monet is my favorite. Why? Many reasons. One is that I saw his real paintings in an exhibition here at the MFAH. It had about 40 paintings. It was like traveling to France in a boat on the Seine with Monet. The paintings were those he painted on the Seine River himself, during different seasons and times of day.
Those paintings transformed me to his world. That was so much fun!
Maybe I'll feel the same if I ever visit a whole art exhibit with Manet's paintings.
Darn, so close yet so far. No Marguerite, I like MONEY best of all.
I know it is not the question, nowhere NEAR the question, but that preference lies so far beyond Manet and Monet, or even Matisse, that it demands to have its voice heard. It has seared itself into this response-window without there being a damned thing I could do to stop it - sorry.
I know nothing of Manet. However, I feel that paintings by Monet are like looking at scenes through teary eyes, or rain. I am not much for being an art critic.
I may be entirely wrong, but I have a strong impression fashion governs art - not just painting, but literature and ALL art. Maybe this is absolutely inevitable and part of the evolution of the various art-forms, but for me, when I recognise fashion* at work I can't help but flinch.
Myself, I can relate to the art of a friend living locally here, even to the paintings of Adolph Hitler, but not (for instance) to the work of the 'Group of Seven'. Unfortunately, I find prints of the Group's work hanging in just about every bank, barber's shop, or dentist's or mental health specialist's waiting room I spend time in - far too much time, now I come to think of it.
* for me, fashion = political correctness = going with the flow = not wanting to get pushed off the band-wagon = prostituting originality and deceitfully filtering the creative spark.
Manet. I can't stand those freaking lily pads.
This one I like:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edouard_Manet_073_(Toter_Torero).jpg
This was part of the painting, but he cut it up:
http://www.wikiart.org/en/edouard-manet/the-bullfight-1864
Good decision Édouard.
This one is good too: