Bon Bock Café
Medium
oil on wood
Dimensions
overall: 26.6 x 34.9 cm (10 1/2 x 13 3/4 in.) framed: 47.3 x 55.2 x 7.3 cm (18 5/8 x 21 3/4 x 2 7/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CF
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection
Accession Number
1970.17.38
Art Historical Context
"Bon Bock Café" captures the essence of late 19th Parisian life through the distinctive style of Édouard Manet. Created in 1881, this oil on wood painting measures just 26.6 by 349 centimeters, a modest scale that lends an intimate quality to the work. Manet, a pivotal figure who bridged Realism and Impressionism, was renowned for his loose brushwork, bold contrasts, and focus on contemporary subjects, qualities clearly echoed here even if executed by a follower. The title evokes the vibrant café culture of Paris during the Belle Époque, a period when such establishments became central to soc...