Artist 32: Edouard Manet

Edouard Manet was born in 1832. He was a controversial artist for his time, especially with such works as "Olympia" and "Le dejeuner sur l'herbe," depicting nude women. However what I love about him, most especially a specific painting, the one pictured here, "A Bar at the Folies-Bergere." What I like about this picture could take a very long time to talk about completely and as in depth as I would like, so I'll be relatively brief! This is another example of a painting that you can interpret yourself. Is there a mirror behind the woman? But then her reflection is off. Is it supposed to be a reflection of how she acts with customers, and the woman looking at you is her true self? Or maybe it's just another woman behind her, and that is a continuation of the building she is in. Honestly, I've discussed this painting with a few people and there are flaws in every possibility. Which makes me to believe that it is intentionally strange and it is exciting to debate what is going on and what you are supposed to take from this piece. What I also like about this painting is the detail. For some reason, my favorite part is the woman's lace collar. It's just so delicate and intricate. Manet inspires me, similar to some other artists, to learn to be more patient in doing details, because sometimes they really make a difference in your picture.