A Bar at the Folies-Bergère

Paris, 1863–1906

Édouard Manet

A Bar at the Folies-Bergère

1882

Oil on canvas, 37 3/4 × 51 1/4 in. The Courtauld Gallery, London

Look at the mirror behind the barmaid: her reflection and the man's are not where they should be.

Look at

  • The mirror fills the background, so the hall and crowd appear only as reflections.
  • Her reflection sits far to the right, though she faces us straight on.
  • A man in a top hat appears in the mirror but not in front of the bar.
  • Bottles and oranges in front are quick, sure strokes with bright highlights.
  • Manet made sketches at the hall, then painted the picture in his studio.

Image: Wikimedia Commons (Google Arts & Culture scan) · Public domain (faithful reproduction of a public-domain 2D work)

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