Realism

"Boating at Argentuil" by Manet (1874), is a imagie of what looks like two very wealthy people (a man and a woman) relaxing close to the water, possibly before or after a nice boating experience on the water. But with a closer look we see that the woman is not what she seems to be. She is a courtesan (we can tell by the black negligee under her dress which doesn't fit), So we can deduce that he has invited her for a day for his own pleasure, and to be seen. This comes down to the whole intention of Manet. He is making a statement about Paris during this time were everything is based on being seen. To be seen is the existence of the wealthy at this time. Have things changed? Are we like the rich Parisians of the 1870's? I think we are the same, our styles have changed and the demands of what's hips has changed, but being seen with the newest phone or clothing style has become the goal of most teenagers and adults. What else is the explanation for shopping malls, great big buildings with every need met under one roof to keep the consumer up to date on the newest "must have" of the week. We find that most young people for fun go to the mall instead of a park or cafe, it solves all their problems. They eat popular food, shop, hang with friends, laugh, walk around, and bump into their other friends, which only helps their social status. By being see in Gucci or Juicy Couture, they are seen as doing the right thing by their age group.