Analysis Of Edgar Degas L Absinthe
Analysis of Edgar Degas’ L 'Absinthe
Edgar Degas was born in Paris France, on 19 July 1834 and died on 27 September 1917 at the age of 83. He was a painter and a sculpture. He was considered one of the founders of "Impressionism", although he didn’t like that term and preferred to call it "Realism". Unlike his Impressionist colleges, Degas was more of an urban artist. He liked to paint the small stage spaces of shows, everyday activities and leisure areas. Edgar Degas’ painting of L 'Absinthe, depicts two figure, one man and one woman. They are seated next to each other in a Parisian café, although neither are paying any attention to each other. Which represents the social isolation during this time of rapid growth in Paris. The man is slouched forward with his elbows resting on the table smoking his pipe. He looks tired as he stares at something in the distance. The woman next to him is the focus of this painting. She is nicely dressed and well kept. She is staring vacantly downward with drooping features and a general air of desolation. In front of her is her green absinthe drink that almost appears to be glowing.
When Edgar Degas first premiered L 'Absinthe to the French salons it was rejected immediately, even at other showings it was not very well liked at all. Many English critics considered it degrading and lacking in morals. The reason this was the general consensus was because the absinthe. Not the drink itself, but the woman drinking it. The idea of a woman of society partaking in this drink caused hysteria. It challenged the established view of woman and their place in society. Although it was actually quite common to see a man, or woman, drowning their sorrows in a cup of absinthe, it was not considered to be art. One might not think that a drink could so greatly influence society, but absinthe was a huge influence on art and society in 1850’s Paris. Absinthe goes by many names; “La Fee Verte (the green fairy), “the green muse”,
Edgar Degas was born in Paris France, on 19 July 1834 and died on 27 September 1917 at the age of 83. He was a painter and a sculpture. He was considered one of the founders of "Impressionism", although he didn’t like that term and preferred to call it "Realism". Unlike his Impressionist colleges, Degas was more of an urban artist. He liked to paint the small stage spaces of shows, everyday activities and leisure areas. Edgar Degas’ painting of L 'Absinthe, depicts two figure, one man and one woman. They are seated next to each other in a Parisian café, although neither are paying any attention to each other. Which represents the social isolation during this time of rapid growth in Paris. The man is slouched forward with his elbows resting on the table smoking his pipe. He looks tired as he stares at something in the distance. The woman next to him is the focus of this painting. She is nicely dressed and well kept. She is staring vacantly downward with drooping features and a general air of desolation. In front of her is her green absinthe drink that almost appears to be glowing.
When Edgar Degas first premiered L 'Absinthe to the French salons it was rejected immediately, even at other showings it was not very well liked at all. Many English critics considered it degrading and lacking in morals. The reason this was the general consensus was because the absinthe. Not the drink itself, but the woman drinking it. The idea of a woman of society partaking in this drink caused hysteria. It challenged the established view of woman and their place in society. Although it was actually quite common to see a man, or woman, drowning their sorrows in a cup of absinthe, it was not considered to be art. One might not think that a drink could so greatly influence society, but absinthe was a huge influence on art and society in 1850’s Paris. Absinthe goes by many names; “La Fee Verte (the green fairy), “the green muse”,
Bibliography: http://www.absinthefever.com/green-fairy http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-0903102-153114/unrestricted/Dees_thesis.pdf http://www.absinthefever.com/green-fairy