Édouard Manet was a radical artist, both in his way of painting and through his choice of motifs. He was the first to truly make art of the modern life or Parisian everyday life. The Pear Peeler is painted in the broad, almost sketchy way that broke away from finer academic painting. The piece was owned by Anders Zorn, who received it from a friend in Paris before donating it to Nationalmuseum.