So many things about this piece are so great. Compared with a bar scene today, a lot of things are strikingly differently. The first difference I noticed was the bowl of tangerines on the bar top. Today they have "bar nuts," but they aren't even that common. The presentation of the tangerines is a lot more high class than I would expect for a bar. It's also shocking that a female is working, because in the United States females were banned from working in bars until relatively recently. I also liked the tiny feet of the trapeze artist in the upper lefthand corner! My favorite part about this piece though is the correlation between the gaze of the bartender and her and a guest's reflection in the mirror. She appears to be interacting intimately with the guest, but the expression on her face suggests something different. She appears indifferent and a little adrift as she gazes at the viewer, hinting that she really feels alone.
Hey Shaina!
ReplyDeleteOmg! I love this piece too, I was gonna doing my blog about this piece. Like you, I especially notice the man that appeares in the mirror and her facial expression, it tells something so sad about her.
Good job, Shaina
Cindy
Shaina, you described the expression in her eyes completely. She does seem indifferent and yet still present, a type of dichotomy that is not easy to express. I am quite a people watcher when I go out and I have seen this expression countless times on various people I encounter; I always wonder what it means and what they are thinking! I wonder what Manet was attempting to show with this painting?
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