Art Blog #197
5 hours ago
4 min read
Overview of some paintings from my two favourite art galleries in the UK - The Courtauld Gallery and The National Gallery - 'The Bar at the Folie Bergère by Edouard Manet at The Courtauld.
Edouard Manet (Quick Biography)
Édouard Manet (born January 23, 1832, Paris, France—died April 30, 1883, Paris) was a French painter who broke new ground by defying traditional techniques of representation and by choosing subjects from the events and circumstances of his own time.
His Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe (Luncheon on the Grass), exhibited in 1863 at the Salon des Refusés, aroused the hostility of critics and the enthusiasm of the young painters who later formed the nucleus of the Impressionist group. His other notable works include Olympia (1863) and A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.
The Courtauld Gallery, London, Uk - (Quick Summary)
The Courtauld Gallery houses one of the world’s finest art collections, situated in the stunning historic setting of Somerset House in central London.
The collection features paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, and decorative arts spanning from the medieval era to the present day. The Courtauld Gallery is celebrated for its exceptional collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, including the renowned A Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Édouard Manet and Vincent van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear. These works were gathered by the collector and philanthropist Samuel Courtauld, one of the institution's founders.
The Folie Bergère (Key Dates)
The first building was constructed on the land in 1806, followed by the addition of sheds and other structures in the subsequent years.
During the summer of 1860, all the buildings were demolished to make room for a long and spacious nave, featuring an exposed iron framework and a glazed façade facing the street. This structure was then occupied by a large bedding store, Les Colonnes d'Hercule.
Facing financial difficulties, Les Colonnes d'Hercule reduced their commercial space by half and rented the rear of the building to Albert Boislève, who wanted to create a performance hall. This led to the founding of the Folies Bergère on May 2, 1869, offering a unique blend of theater and café-concert.
The initial capacity has 768 seats divided between the ground floor and the balcony, as well as about 400 seats in the café area.
Courtesy of www.foliesbergere.com/fr
Paul writes:
In this brief series highlighting some of my standout paintings from my two favorite art galleries in the UK, The Courtauld and The National, I want to emphasize that I am not a painter. Therefore, I won't be discussing 'use of color, brushstrokes, or composition' as I am not qualified to do so. Instead, I prefer to focus on the emotion the painting evokes or the time/place it captures. The artists aren't always my favorites, but the image captures something that compels me to revisit it. That, I believe, is what art is truly about.
For over twenty years, I have frequently visited The Courtauld Gallery in London, mainly to admire certain impressionist artworks.
In particular, Edouard Manet's 'Bar at the Folies-Bergère' and Vincent Van Gogh's 'Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear'.
This gallery, though not as large as The National Gallery nearby, offers a more intimate and personal experience, resembling a private art collection accessible to the public rather than a state-owned institution.
Manet's painting, created in 1882 and showcased at the Paris Salon that year, captures a scene at the Folies-Bergère. The woman at the bar, a real person named Suzon, worked there in the early 1880s. Manet posed her in his studio for this piece. The inclusion of a dish of oranges suggests the barmaid's identity as a prostitute, and much analysis has focused on the mirror's depiction and the reflection of a male figure.
The painting vividly reflects a transforming Paris during the time Baron Haussmann was redefining and reinventing the city. Manet was a pivotal figure in the ground-breaking impressionist movement.
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