What do you think is the defining characteristic of modernism?

Question: What do you think is the defining characteristic of modernism? Argue for your choice [of characteristic] and describe two artworks to illustrate your answer.
Notes: The characteristic I chose was modernism’s ability to reject history and conservative values as they want to free themselves from artistic traditions. This allows them to express themselves with more innovation and have the ability to create something that is considered new. So if you could please use this, thank you.
Also, I included two pictures that the question says to analyze and relate to the topic, so if you could please include this and the actual pictures in the essay, thanks.
The first picture – Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe by Edouard Manet (1862-63)
The second picture – paul cezanne still with apples