A Bar At The Folies Analysis

A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, Manet’s last major work, depicts a cynical view of modernity where subtle suggestions of the impact of consumerism, the mixing of social classes and class ambiguity have crept in. The café-concert culture was born out of Hussmann’s renovations, and it was common for 19th century artists to depict a vibrant café scene full of spectacle and frivolity in Haussmann’s new boulevards (Gronberg 1984). A Bar at the Folies-Bergère reveals a level of isolation and uncertainty that has become typical of modern life. The barmaid is fashionably dressed, but ambiguous in her appearance, so as to appear satisfactory to all clientele who frequent the bar (Iskin 1995). Merchandise on the bar indicates that she is a barmaid, but