Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Edgar Degas—
Two Dancers on the Stage
(1874)
Degas differs from his Impressionist peers in that he often painted interiors with people,
especially dancers, rather than landscapes. These two ballerinas look at each other while
we observe them from above, perhaps from balcony seating. The dancers are most likely
performing the
Ballet des Roses
at the Paris Opera company's rendition of Mozart's
Don
Giovanni
.
• Continue into the long, elegant Room 6 (a.k.a. the Wolfson Room). The walls shimmer
with Impressionist masterpieces, the most striking of which is...
Edouard Manet—
A Bar at the Folies
-
Bergère
(1882)
While we look at the barmaid and her wares, Manet also shows us the barmaid's-eye view
of the crowded nightclub, reflected in the (slightly tilted) mirror behind her. We see the
glittering chandeliers rendered in Impressionist smudges, the bottles of wine, the swirl of
activity, and even a trapeze artist (upper left). From the barmaid's own reflection, we see
that she's facing a mustachioed man in a top hat. This may be a self-portrait, but whoever
he is, he's standing right where we are.
