Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas celebrated with new exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

By Jim Dolan

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    NEW YORK, NY (WABC) — Two old friends come together again – this time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Edgar Degas, his vibrant colors against a stark background. Édouard Manet, whose subtle shadings of blues and greens lead one to the other.

These two friends, who prowled together the streets and salons of Paris in the 1800s, are reunited now in New York.

“By bringing them together, we show the ways that artists capture the moment, this was an incredibly exciting moment in the middle of 19th century Paris,” said Stephan Wolohojian, curator of the new “Manet/Degas” exhibit at the Met. “These artists captured the modernity in fresh new ways. Really eyewitness to their time.”

The exhibit brings together 160 works from museums around the world.

“By putting them in juxtaposition, they each cast a new light on each other, and that their relationship as it is shown on the walls will help people to see them afresh,” said Ashley Dunn, associate curator.

But when Degas painted Manet and his wife and gave it to them as a gift, Manet, in a rage, slashed the painting. That work is included, too.

Both artists learned their craft, first copying and then evolving beyond the artists that came before them – just as artists now study them.

“We see artists all the time in the galleries of The Met copying from our collection, looking at it, taking photos, taking notes and we love thinking about how that historical purpose is going to translate into their work,” said Wolohojian.

The exhibit opens to the public Sept. 24.

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