Western Art Movements I Art Movements    

Lesson 32: Impressionism - A Bar at the Folies-Bergère (1882)

by Édouard Manet

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the artwork's movement.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

The final example of Impressionism is Édouard Manet's 1882 painting 'A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.' The Folies Bergère is a cabaret music hall in Paris, France. The painting shows a barmaid looking at the viewer and standing before a mirror. The barmaid is a real woman named Suzon who worked at the Folies Bergère in the 1880s. She wears a necklace, a bracelet, earrings, and a flower. Her expression is a little sad. A variety of bottles, a glass holding flowers, and a dish of oranges rest on the bar in front of the barmaid. By looking at the mirror, the viewer can see what the barmaid sees as well as the back of the barmaid. Look to the upper left to spot the feet of a performing trapeze artist.

Vocabulary

Cabaret: A nightclub or restaurant with live entertainment.
Trapeze Artist: A gymnast who performs on a swinging horizontal bar, suspended at each end by a rope.
Barmaid: A woman who serves at a business licensed to sell alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises.

Concepts

Featured Movement:

1. Name - Impressionism
2. Timeline - approximately 1870s-1890s

Impressionism Characteristics and Subjects:

1. Everyday Life ('Hay Harvest at Éragny' by Camille Pissarro in 1901)

2. Visible Strokes of Color ('The Boulevard Montmartre at Night' by Camille Pissarro in 1897)

3. Play of Light ('Haystacks, (Sunset)' by Claude Monet in 1891)

4. Painted Outdoors (Real sand embedded in paint in 'Beach at Scheveningen in Stormy Weather' by Vincent van Gogh in 1882)

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Find the following in the artwork:

• Barmaid
• Reflection of a Trapeze Artist
• Oranges
• Bottles
• Reflection of Bottles
• Reflection of the Barmaid

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Classify the Artwork

• This artwork belongs to the Impressionist art movement.
• Find Impressionism on the timeline.
• During which (estimated) years did Impressionism flourish?
• Which art movement preceded Impressionism?
• Which art movement followed Impressionism?

Activity 4: Recreate the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 35 of 'Fourth Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the artwork?

1 / 5

Answer 1

The characters are the workers and patrons of a cabaret.

1 / 5

Question 2

What is the setting of the artwork?

2 / 5

Answer 2

The setting is a cabaret in Paris, France.

2 / 5

Question 3

To which western art movement does this painting belong?

3 / 5

Answer 3

This painting belongs to the Impressionist art movement.

3 / 5

Question 4

How is this painting reflective of Impressionism?

4 / 5

Answer 4

This work was constructed with visible strokes of color and features everyday life.

4 / 5

Question 5

During which century was this artwork created?

5 / 5

Answer 5

Manet painted this artwork in the 19th century.

5 / 5

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the artwork? The characters are the workers and patrons of a cabaret.
2. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is a cabaret in Paris, France.
3. To which western art movement does this painting belong? This painting belongs to the Impressionist art movement.
4. How is this painting reflective of Impressionism? This work was constructed with visible strokes of color and features everyday life.
5. During which century was this artwork created? Manet painted this artwork in the 19th century.

References

'A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Impressionism.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.