Manet's signature element

I remember going to The Metropolitan Museum of Art awhile ago and either reading or listening to a recording that Manet used a flower in the lower part of his paintings quite often.
They referred to it as his signature element। I like that. For me, the bud serves as a compositional element to lead the viewer's eye into the picture. I have used this artificial flower many many times in my small paintings. It's just the right thing.
This painting is 3 3/4 inches by 2 1/2 inches, oil on board, POR