Manet exhibits A Bar at the Folies-Bergère at the Paris Salon (1882)

In 1882, Édouard Manet exhibited his last major work, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, at the Paris Salon. The painting depicts a scene in the Folies Bergère nightclub in Paris. The Salon, managed by the Société des Artistes Français since 1881, remained a crucial venue for Manet, who preferred official exhibitions over independent ones.

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Background and detail

Background. The Paris Salon was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, beginning in 1667. From 1881 onward, it was managed by the Société des Artistes Français. Manet maintained that modern artists should seek to exhibit at the Paris Salon rather than abandon it for independent exhibitions, despite his influence on Impressionism.

The Painting. A Bar at the Folies-Bergère is considered Manet's last major work. It was painted in 1882 and depicts a scene in the Folies Bergère nightclub in Paris. A preliminary study showed the barmaid placed off to the right, whereas in the finished canvas she is the center of attention, though her reflection remains on the right.

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