Impressionist paintings. Description of the painting by Edouard Manet “Bar at Foley - Bergère The girl is real and through the mirror

Edouard Manet - Bar at the Folies Bergère, 1882

Un bar aux Folies Bergère

Canvas, oil.

Original size: 96×130cm

Courtauld Institute of Art, London

Description: The Bar at the Folies Bergère (French: Un bar aux Folies Bergère) is a painting by Edouard Manet.

The Folies Bergère is a variety show and cabaret in Paris. It is located at Richet Street 32. At the end of the 19th century, this place was very popular. Manet frequented the Folies Bergère and ended up painting this painting, the last one he presented at the Paris Salon before his death in 1883. Manet made sketches for the picture right in the bar, located on the ground floor of the variety show to the right of the stage. Then he asked the bartender Suzon and his friend, the military artist Henri Dupray, to pose in the studio. Initially, the basis of the composition should be the barmaid and the client facing each other, carried away by the conversation. This is evidenced not only by the surviving sketches, but also by x-rays of the painting. Manet later decided to make the scene more meaningful. In the background, a mirror is visible, which reflects a huge number of people filling the room. Across from this crowd, behind the counter, is a bartender absorbed in her own thoughts. Manet managed to convey a feeling of incredible loneliness in the midst of a drinking, eating, talking and smoking crowd, watching an acrobat on a trapeze, which can be seen in the upper left corner of the picture.

If you look at the bottles on the marble bar counter, you will notice that their reflection in the mirror does not match the original. The reflection of the barmaid is also unrealistic. She looks directly at the viewer, while in the mirror she is facing the man. All these inconsistencies make the viewer wonder if Manet depicted the real or imaginary world. The mirror, which reflects the figures depicted in the picture, makes Bar in the Folies Bergère related to Velasquez's Las Meninas and van Eyck's Arnolfini.

Description of the painting by Edouard Manet “Bar at Folies Bergère”

This work of art has received great fame. It conveys everyday life in a 19th century French metropolitan bar. The artist himself was here quite often, which made him take up the brush.

What explains Manet's craving for idle pastime in this cabaret? The thing is that the creator did not like peace, silence. More he liked to have fun, communicate, have intimate conversations, meet people. That is why he was so attracted by the riotous lifestyle of a Parisian pub.

It seems that the artist began to paint his picture right inside the institution. At first, he sat near the stage, on the right side, and marked the sketch. Then he asked the barmaid to stand in front of him in her usual position - behind the bar, but already in Manet's creative workshop.

After the death of the artist, his first works from this cabaret were discovered. It turns out that the original idea of ​​the picture was somewhat different. It should have depicted a barmaid and a young man - a friend of Manet. They stood opposite each other and talked.

The result is different: the bartender stands in front of a crowd of customers who are visible in the mirror hanging behind her. She is thoughtful, distracted, does not listen to people, but dreams of her own. However, right there we see her on the right, as if the girl is talking with a man who has entered the bar. Is that her or the other bartender? This question has remained unanswered.

Perhaps what is in the mirror is what is in the head of the cabaret worker. That is, a display of her thoughts, memories of the just past. The viewer understands: the girl is lonely, and life is teeming around her. An acrobat, drunken faces, cheerful clients do not please the girl, she is all immersed in her sad thoughts. But she can’t leave here either, because this is her job. disharmony of life.

Edouard Manet - Bar at the Folies Berger 1882

Bar in the Folies Berger
1882 96x130cm oil/canvas
Courtauld Institute of Art, London, UK

From Rewald John's book. "History of Impressionism" At the Salon of 1882, Manet, now out of competition, exhibited a large painting, The Bar at the Folies Bergère, an imposing composition painted with extraordinary virtuosity. He once again showed the strength of his brush, the subtlety of observation and the courage not to follow the pattern. Like Degas, he continued to show an unfailing interest in contemporary topics (he was even going to write a locomotive driver), but he approached them not as a cold observer, but with the ardent enthusiasm of a researcher of new phenomena of life. By the way, Degas did not like his last painting and called it "boring and sophisticated." "The bar at the Folies Bergère" cost Manet a lot of effort, as he began to suffer severely from ataxia. He was disappointed when the public again refused to understand his painting, perceiving only the plot, and not the skill of execution.
In a letter to Albert Wolf, he could not help saying, half in jest, half in earnest: "After all, I would have nothing against reading, while still alive, the excellent article that you will write after my death."

After the Salon closed, Manet was finally officially declared a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. As great as his joy was, it was mingled with a certain bitterness. When the critic Shesnot congratulated him, and also conveyed to him the best wishes of Count Riuwerkerke, Manet sharply replied: “When you write to Count Riuwerkerke, you can tell him that I appreciate his tender attention, but that he himself had the opportunity to give me this award. He could make me happy, and now it's too late to make up for twenty years of failure..."

The legendary cabaret Folies Bergère, which will soon celebrate its 150th anniversary, is located in the heart of Paris near Montmartre. The cabaret building, built by the architect Plumre on the model of the Alhambra Theater in London, is easily recognizable thanks to a large panel with a dancer on the facade.

Folies Bergère - a modern platform for creativity

Although the premises of the Folies Bergère have long been in need of some renovation and redecoration, this does not at all reduce the number of its spectators, but rather, on the contrary, adds atmosphere and color. Numerous visitors admire the shimmering gold walls, the expensive interior of the hall in yellow and blue tones and the luxurious staircase leading to the auditorium.

One of the oldest Parisian cabarets, it invariably follows its traditions: concerts of musical groups, vibrant dance shows, performances and comedians are still regularly held here. The Folies Bergère's repertoire includes a dozen dynamic performances, among which the dance and circus show with elements of eroticism Ohlala, the musical play Jersey Boys and the magic show The Illusionists are especially popular.

History of cabaret

The date of birth of Folies Bergère is considered to be May 1, 1869. It was then that at the peak of the popularity of the variety show in Paris, another institution was opened that won the hearts of the Parisian public. However, at that time the cabaret was called Folies Trevise and its name was due to the street rue Trevise, on which the entrance for the employees of the institution was located. The change of name to Folies Bergère took place at the initiative of the Duke de Trevize. He was categorically against the fact that an institution of this kind bore his name, so the cabaret was renamed after the neighboring street rue Bergere.


In addition to lunch, cabaret visitors paid separately for the performance, during which they could freely move around the hall, smoke and talk at their tables. The Folies Bergère had a relaxed atmosphere: with a glass of wine, the audience enjoyed dance and gymnastic numbers, as well as performances by magicians. During the Franco-Prussian war, the cabaret was temporarily used for meetings, at which many famous personalities of that period performed.

The beginning of the stage of the dizzying success of the cabaret falls on 1871. After the entrepreneur Lyon Sari acquired the Folies Bergère, the institution's popularity skyrocketed. He organized a winter garden and a spacious hall in the concert hall. In 1886, the artistic director of the cabaret, Edouard Marchand, came up with a new performance format for the famous cabaret - the music hall revue. The show included not only dance elements, but also performances by singers and comedians. Between numbers, entertainers performed on stage with short monologues and parodies of politicians.


Against the backdrop of the growing popularity of the cabaret, it was decided to almost double the size of the auditorium and decorate the façade with an art deco panel designed by the sculptor Pico.

Celebrities in the Folies Bergère

The success of the cabaret is evidenced by the fact that the famous artist Edouard Manet dedicated one of his works to him. The famous painting Bar at the Folies Bergère, painted in 1881, depicts the waitress Suzon, and behind her is a large mirror in which numerous visitors are visible.

The Music Hall has become a launching pad for many famous artists. At different times, the singer-actor Maurice Chevalier, the actor Jean Gabin, the singer Mistenguette, the French writer Colette and the great Charlie Chaplin himself visited its stage. African-American Josephine Baker, a talented jazz singer and dancer, brought the institution immense popularity at the beginning of the last century, having won the nickname "black pearl" among the audience.


Comedian Benny Hill, mime actor Marcel Marceau, singers Frank Sinatra, Yves Montand, Elton John and many other celebrities have also performed here.

Until now, Folies Bergère continues to be popular among connoisseurs of the classic cabaret atmosphere, attracting visitors with vibrant dance shows and musical performances.

How to get there

Today we will talk about the painting by Edouard Manet BAR IN THE FOLI BERGERRE 1882, which has become one of the famous masterpieces of world art.

In 1881 at the French Salon E. Manet presented the long-awaited second award for the portrait of a lion hunter. Pertuise. After that, Manet becomes out of competition and can exhibit his paintings, without any permission from the jury of the Salon.

E. Manet Portrait of a lion hunter.

The long-awaited glory comes, but his illness progresses simply inexorably and he knows about it and therefore, longing gnaws at him.

In September 1879, Manet suffered his first acute attack of rheumatism. It soon turned out that he was sick with ataxia - a violation of the coordination of movements. The disease progressed rapidly, limiting the creative possibilities of the artist.

Mane tries to resist a serious illness. Can't he overcome the disease?

WORK ON THE PICTURE.

Manet decides to gather all his strength and will, they are still trying to bury him early. He can be seen in the cafe "New Athens", in the cafe Bad, at Tortoni, at the Folies Bergère and at his friends. He always tries to joke and be ironic, has fun about his "weaknesses" and jokes about his leg. Manet decides to implement his new idea: to draw a scene from everyday Parisian life and depict the view of the famous Folies Bergère bar, in which the lovely girl Suzon stands behind the counter, in front of numerous bottles.

The girl is known by many regular visitors to the bar.
Painting "Bar at the Folies Bergère”is a work of extraordinary courage and picturesque subtlety: a blond girl stands behind the bar, behind her is a large mirror, which reflects the large hall of the institution with the audience sitting in it. She has an ornament on a black velvet around her neck, her gaze is cold, she is bewitchingly motionless, she looks indifferently at those around her.
This complex plot of the canvas is moving forward with great difficulty.

The artist struggles with it and remakes it many times. In early May 1882, Manet completes the painting and becomes happy contemplating it in the Salon. Nobody laughs at his paintings anymore, all his paintings are considered with great seriousness, they begin to argue about them as real works of art.
He created his last work, Bar at the Folies Bergère, as if saying goodbye to the life that he so cherished, admired so much and thought about a lot. The work absorbed everything that the artist had been looking for and finding for so long in an unremarkable life.

The best images are woven together to be embodied in this young girl who stands in a noisy Parisian tavern. In this institution, people seek joy by contacting their own kind, seeming fun and laughter reign here, a young and sensitive master reveals the image of a young life that is immersed in sadness and loneliness.
It is hard to believe that this work was written by a dying artist, to whom any movement of the hand caused pain and suffering. But even before his death, Edouard Manet remains a real fighter. He had to go through a difficult life path before he discovered the true beauty that he had been looking for all his life and found it in ordinary people, finding in their souls the inner wealth to which he gave his heart.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PICTURE

The canvas depicts one of the most famous cabarets in Paris, the end of the nineteenth century. This is the artist's favorite place.

Why did he love being there so much? The vibrant life of the capital was Manet's preference over the calm everyday regularity. He felt at this cabaret, better than at home.

Sketches and blanks for the picture, apparently, Manet did right in the bar. This bar was on the ground floor of the variety show. Sitting to the right of the stage, the artist began to make blanks for the canvas. After, he turned to the barmaid and his good friend, asking him to pose for him in his studio.

The basis of the composition was to be a friend of Manet and a barmaid, facing each other. They must be passionate about communicating with each other. The sketches found by Manet confirm this idea of ​​the master.

But Manet decided to make the scene a little more significant than it was. In the background, there was a mirror reflecting the crowds of people filling the bar. In front of all these people, there was a bartender, she was thinking about her own, being at the counter in the bar. Although there is fun and noise around, the barmaid does not care about the crowd of visitors, she is hovering in her own thoughts. But on the right it is visible, as if her own reflection, only she is talking with one visitor. How to understand it?

Apparently, the picture in the mirror is the events of the past minutes, but in reality what is depicted is that the girl thought about the conversation that took place a few minutes ago.

If you look at the bottles on the marble bar counter, you will notice that their reflection in the mirror does not match the original. The reflection of the barmaid is also unrealistic. She looks directly at the viewer, while in the mirror she is facing the man. All these inconsistencies make the viewer wonder if Manet depicted the real or imaginary world.

Although the picture is very simple in plot, it makes each viewer think and think of something of their own. Manet conveyed the contrast between a cheerful crowd and a lonely girl in the middle of the crowd.

Also in the picture you can see a society of artists, with their muses, aesthetes and their ladies. These people are in the left corner on the canvas. One woman is holding binoculars. This reflects the essence of a society that wants to look at others and expose itself to them. At the top left corner you can see the legs of the acrobat. And the acrobat, and the crowd of people having fun, cannot, brighten up the loneliness and sadness of the barmaid.

The date and signature of the master is displayed on the label of one of the bottles, which is in the lower left corner.

The peculiarity of this painting by Manet, in its deep meaning, many symbols, and secrecy. Usually the paintings of the artist did not differ in such characteristics. The same picture conveys many depths of human thoughts. In the cabaret there are people of different backgrounds and status. But all people are equal in their desire to have fun and have a good time.

And what do you think? What are your impressions of this painting?

"... At the Salon of 1881, Manet expects a long-awaited award - the second medal for the portrait of Pertuise, a lion hunter. Now Manet becomes an artist "out of competition" and has the right to exhibit his works without the consent of the jury of the Salon.

Manet hopes to do "something" for the Salon of 1882 - for the first Salon, where his canvases will appear with the mark "V.K." ("out of competition"). He won't miss this!

But now, when at last the glory won with such difficulty has come to him, will her gifts fall into powerless hands? Is it really just when he will finally be rewarded for his labors and hardships. will it all be over?.. Manet's disease progresses inexorably; he knows this, and anguish gnaws at him, and his eyes become clouded with tears. Live! Live! Mane resists. Couldn't his will be able to overcome the disease?..

Manet gathers all his will. They want to bury him too soon. And now you can meet him in the cafe "New Athens", near Tortoni, in the cafe Bad, in the Folies Bergère; at friends, I will give half the world. And he always jokes, ironically, has fun about his sore leg, his "infirmities." Manet wants to carry out a new plan: a new scene of Parisian life, a view of the Folies Bergère bar - the lovely Suzon at the bar lined with wine bottles; Suzon, who is well known to all the regular visitors of this place.

The Bar at the Folies Bergère is a work of picturesque delicacy and extraordinary boldness: the blond Suzon at the counter; behind - a large mirror, which reflects the hall and the audience that filled it. She has the same black velvet around her neck that Olympia had, she is just as bewitchingly motionless, her gaze is cold, it excites with its indifference to the environment.

This complex work is moving forward with difficulty. Mane beats over him, repeatedly remaking. In May 1882, he knows happiness, contemplating in the Salon "Spring" and "Bar in the Folies Bergère", accompanied by a sign "V.K." They no longer laugh at his canvases. If some people still allow themselves to criticize them, if, for example, the construction of the "Bar" with its mirror and the play of reflections is found too complicated, they call it a "rebus", then all the same, Mane's paintings are considered seriously, carefully, they are argued about as works, which should be taken into account. However, the sign "V.K." puts the audience in a position of respect. By the will of these two letters, Manet becomes a recognized artist; these letters call for reflection, encourage sympathy (before they did not dare to express it aloud), shut up hostile mouths ... "

“In his last great work, The Bar at the Folies Bergère, the artist seemed to say goodbye to the life that he cherished so much, about which he thought so much and which he never tired of admiring. Perhaps, never before has the master’s worldview expressed itself in a separate work with such fullness. It has love for a person, for his spiritual and pictorial poetry, and attention to his complex, imperceptible superficial view of relationships with others, and a sense of the fragility of being, and a feeling of bright joy when in contact with the world, and the irony that arises when observing it. " The bar in the Folies Bergère "absorbed everything that Manet, with such perseverance and conviction, sought, found and affirmed in an unremarkable life. The best images that entered his work were woven together to be embodied in this young girl standing behind the bar of a noisy Here, where people seek joy in contact with their own kind, where seeming fun reigns, a sensitive master rediscovers the image of a young woman. a life immersed in sad loneliness. The world surrounding the girl is vain and many-sided. Manet understands this and, in order to listen to only one voice, especially close to him, makes this world sound again "under the mute" - become a shaky reflection in the mirror, turn into an obscure, blurry haze of silhouettes, faces, spots and lights. The illusory duality of vision, which is revealed to the artist, physically, as it were, introduces the girl to the tinsel atmosphere of the bar, but not for long. Mane does not allow her to merge with this world, to dissolve in it. He makes her turn off internally even from a conversation with a random visitor, whose prosaic appearance also takes on a mirror located directly behind the counter, where the barmaid herself is seen at an angle from the back. As if starting from that reflection, Manet returns us to the only true reality of this entire ghostly spectacle of the world. A slender figure wrapped in black velvet is surrounded by the light radiance of mirrors, a marble counter, flowers, fruits, sparkling bottles. Only she, in this color-light-air flicker, remains the most tangibly real, the most beautiful and irrefutable value. The artist's brush slows down its movement and lies more densely on the canvas, the color thickens, the contours are defined. But the feeling that finally arose of the physical stability of the heroine of the canvas is not finite: the sad, slightly absent-minded and perplexed look of the girl, immersed in dreams and detached from everything around, again evokes a feeling of fragility and elusiveness of her state. The value of her concrete givenness must, it seemed, be reconciled with the duality of the world surrounding her. But no, the structure of her image, far from exhausted to the end, continues to excite the imagination, evoke poetic associations in which sadness is mixed with joy.

It is hard to believe that "Bar" was created by a dying man, to whom every movement brought severe suffering. But it is so. Edouard Manet remained a fighter even before his death, as in life he was a fighter against bourgeois vulgarity, philistine laziness of thoughts and feelings, a man of rare soul and mind. He went through a difficult path before he discovered the true beauty that he was looking for in modern life: he wanted to discover it and discovered it in simple, inconspicuous people, finding in them that inner wealth to which he gave his heart.

Based on the materials of the book by A. Perrusho "Eduard Manet" and afterword by M. Prokofieva. - M.: TERRA - Book Club. 2000. - 400 p., 16 p. ill.