A Bar At The Folies-Bergere Essay

Art is an escape for those who create it. By allowing the artist to use real life situations, the figures come to life and express emotions that would be wrong to show at the time. Manet, artist of A Bar at the Folies- Bergere depicts a woman casting a sorrow countenance as she stands behind a bar , due to her occupation as a barmaid. In front of the woman is a busy crowd filling Folies -Bergere, a former department show that was later converted into a variety show venue, with life and laughter (Source 2). Yet, the woman is still staring down at the alcohol bottles ,of which she has to serve ,with no trace of happiness in her face. Thus, intending to visualize a wretchedly unhappy woman numb to life around her due to her overwhelming emotion. The painting is intended to show one with no hope in their life. She is miserable and makes it very evident as she stares at her workplace in despair. As David Pagel says in his review on the piece, “Boredom would be a relief from the despondency her expression makes palpable,”(Source 2). She is in such pain that …show more content…
Howard Stier, a writer for the LA Times, claims that Folies- Bergere was the hot spot of the early 1920’s and due to this, the workload on the staff would have been brucial (Source 2). However, the other workers in the painting seem to be content with their jobs, such as the dancer hanging from a rope in the left hand corner. Due to this, one may infer that the workers are indeed satisfied with the workload in which they encounter. However, the main figure is so deeply sorrowed that she can not join in on the satisfaction. A Bar at Folies - Bergere is a piece which allows the emotion even though the setting is not meant to allow so. The work captures what it feels like to be in a crowded room yet still feel alone, which is the reason why it is so famous to this