Starting from the 1860s, Manet frequently painted children of different ages and social classes. His girl portraits were done primarily between 1876-1882, often showing depictions from a number of perspectives. These portraits, painted while the children's character was still forming, indicate the artist's way of observing a model's nature and habits. At what stage of growth does a child exhibit signs of personality for mid-19th century French bourgeoisie? How did Manet depict infant and young girls' character in the context of different forms of moral education for boys and girls. This essay considers the traits and features of two sets of portraits in order to compare child portraits well loved by the bourgeoisie of that period. Further, my analysis of Manet's work examines how he depicted individual girls' characteristics, drawing forth their postures and expressions. Finally, this essay explains the importance of girl portraits in Manet's art.