Early Life, Family and Training Édouard Manet was born in Paris on January 23, 1832. He grew up in an affluent household, the eldest son of a man who held a position in the French Ministry of Justice. His father had envisioned a different path for him, one involving the navy or the law. The boy attempted to follow this direction, but he failed the entrance exams for the naval academy twice. This failure redirected his focus toward the studio. He eventually presented his father with a portfolio of paintings to prove his commitment to the arts, finally gaining the permission needed to study fo…