Of all the paintings by the Impressionist master Edouard Manet (1832-1883), nearly one-fifth are still lifes, a genre the artist himself considered "the touchstone of painting." This sumptuous volume, first published to accompany a landmark exhibition at the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore and at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, is the first major book to focus on this crucial aspect of Manet's work. Throughout his career, and especially later in his life, Manet devoted considerable energy to still lifes, producing oils, watercolors, and prints that unite exuberant personal expression with a flawless mastery of light and detail. With informative text, including an enlightening essay by Henri Loyrette, director of the Musee d'Orsay, "Manet: The Still-Life Paintings" features lush, full-page colorplates as well as full-bleed details of what some critics consider the finest examples of still-life painting ever executed.