Priya Kapoor
Paris, the City of Light, was one of the first European capitals to adopt street lighting, with 20,766 streetlamps illuminating the city by 1870. This electrification of Paris transformed the city's culture and nightlife, with the Moulin Rouge and other late-night cabarets epitomizing the indulgence and innovation of fin-de-siècle Paris. Artists such as Manet and Degas were inspired by these dazzling cabarets, and their paintings often depicted Parisian scenes, including café and nightlife scenes. Manet and Degas, who were friends and rivals, approached art differently, with Degas focusing on the complex interplay of shapes and compositions, while Manet's canvases were more vibrant. Despite their differences, both artists were influenced by the electrification of Paris and its impact on the city's culture and nightlife, incorporating these themes into their paintings and contributing to the development of modern art in the City of Light.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time Period | End of the 19th century |
| Artists | Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas |
| Artworks | Au Café-concert: La Chanson du chien, Paris Street: Rainy Day, Monsieur et madame Édouard Manet, Olympia, The Luncheon on the Grass, The Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople, Scene of War in the Middle Ages, Edmondo and Thérèse Morbilli, Interior, Nana, Beach Scene, In a Café (The Absinthe Drinker), Plum Brandy, Family Portrait (The Bellelli Family), Sulking, The Execution of Maximilian, A Cotton Office in New Orleans |
| Themes | Cabaret scenes, modern urban life, Parisian culture, café scenes, wars, domestic political events, contemporary dress, portraits of society women, horse races, nudes, prostitutes, laundresses, milliners |
| Techniques | Alla prima painting, rejection of Renaissance perspective, complex interplay of shapes and compositions, portraiture, pure painting |
| Influences | Spanish school, Velázquez, Italian Renaissance, Dutch art |
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What You'll Learn
The role of street lighting in Paris
Paris earned its nickname, the City of Light, in part due to its pioneering adoption of street lighting. In the mid-17th century, Louis XIV, the Sun King, increased lighting throughout Paris by placing lanterns on major streets and requiring citizens to light candles in their windows. This made criminals visible to the police at night and contributed to Paris's reputation as a city of light.
By the end of the 19th century, Paris had undergone a significant transformation under Georges-Eugene Haussmann's renovation project, which updated the city's infrastructure. This included the introduction of gas lamps, with Paris boasting 20,766 streetlamps by 1870. These lamps, placed between trees on boulevards and next to park benches, became iconic symbols of the city. They featured prominently in paintings and photographs, such as those captured by Charles Marville, the city's official photographer.
The proliferation of street lighting had a notable impact on the artistic community in Paris. Artists such as Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas, and Gustave Caillebotte incorporated the new lighting into their works, reflecting the modern urban landscape of the time. Manet, for example, is known for his portrayal of modern life and his transition from Realism to Impressionism. His paintings often depicted Parisian scenes, including café and entertainment venues, political events, and contemporary dress.
Degas, on the other hand, brought his unique vision of complex shape interplay and compositions to his artwork. He actively participated in the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, showcasing ten works. While Manet initially distanced himself from the Impressionist movement, he eventually engaged with it on his terms. Both artists often painted similar themes and subjects, including Parisian scenes, capturing the essence of the illuminated city in their works.
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The impact of cabarets and nightlife
The introduction of electricity to Paris in the late 19th century had a profound impact on the city's nightlife and entertainment scene, with the emergence of dazzling cabarets and late-night establishments like the Moulin Rouge. Artists such as Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec were inspired by these vibrant venues and incorporated them into their artwork.
The cabarets and nightlife of Paris in the late 19th century provided a rich source of inspiration for artists like Manet, Degas, and Toulouse-Lautrec. These venues, illuminated by the glow of gas lamps, offered a world of entertainment and indulgence for the emerging middle class. The Moulin Rouge, with its famous cancan dancers and vibrant atmosphere, became a popular subject for artists, including Toulouse-Lautrec's "At the Moulin Rouge" (1892-95).
The cabarets and nightlife also influenced the artistic styles of Manet, Degas, and Toulouse-Lautrec. The vibrant colours, dynamic movements, and unique lighting effects of these venues found their way into the artists' work. The gas lamps, in particular, became iconic symbols of the modern Parisian streets, as depicted in Gustave Caillebotte's "Paris Street: Rainy Day" (1877), where a street lamp serves as a central element, anchoring the composition.
The cabarets and nightlife provided a space for social interaction and cultural exchange, bringing together people from different social circles and backgrounds. Manet, known for his sociable personality, often attended musical evenings hosted by Degas' father, fostering a sense of community and inspiration. These social gatherings influenced the artists' depictions of Parisian life, with scenes of café life, popular entertainments, and contemporary dress featuring prominently in their work.
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The influence of photography
Manet and Degas, as friends and rivals, were both captivated by the evolving urban landscape. They approached their art differently, with Degas focusing on the complex interplay of shapes and compositions, while Manet's vibrant canvases captured the energy of modern life. Despite their differences, they often painted similar types of scenes, including Parisian life, café scenes, and portraits of society women.
Additionally, the increased lighting in Paris brought about a shift in the types of scenes that could be depicted. Artists could now portray night-time scenes and interior spaces illuminated by artificial light. This expanded the range of subjects and atmospheres that could be explored, further enriching the artistic movement of the time.
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The portrayal of modern life
Manet and Degas, in particular, were known for their depictions of Parisian culture and their exploration of modern urban life as a subject for high art. Manet, with his vibrant canvases, approached this theme with a focus on the social and the contemporary, painting scenes of café life, popular entertainments, and contemporary dress. He also painted scenes of modern life beyond Paris, such as his paintings of the French intervention in Mexico, including "The Execution of Emperor Maximilian," which addressed concerns about French foreign and domestic policy.
Degas, on the other hand, often portrayed the private and domestic, with his psychologically complex portraits of family members revealing tensions in their relationships. His work also included scenes of Parisian life, such as his painting "In a Café (The Absinthe Drinker)," which captures the modern urban environment of the time.
The increased lighting in Paris, due to the invention of the gas lamp, also became a subject of interest for artists. Charles Marville, the city's official photographer, captured portraits of lamp posts, and Gustave Caillebotte's painting "Paris Street: Rainy Day" featured a street lamp as a central element, anchoring the composition.
The electrification of Paris brought about a new era of modernity, with the city boasting over 20,000 streetlamps by 1870. This transformation of the urban landscape inspired artists like Manet and Degas to capture the bustling city life and the interplay of light and shadows in their work, contributing to their portrayal of modern life in Paris.
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The use of colour and composition
The electrification of Paris in the late 19th century had a profound impact on the work of artists such as Manet, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Picasso. The city's new lighting transformed the way these artists approached colour and composition in their paintings.
Manet, for example, is known for his vibrant canvases and modern style, which often depicted urban life in Paris. He was a pioneer in rejecting humanistic and historical subjects, instead focusing on modern subjects such as automobiles, electric streetcars, and moving pictures. Manet's work is characterised by opaque flatness, sketch-like passages, and black outlining of figures, which create a sense of materiality and draw attention to the surface of the canvas.
Degas, on the other hand, was more solitary and ill-tempered, and his paintings reflected a complex interplay of shapes and compositions. He was a diligent student of the Italian Renaissance and Dutch art, and his work often explored the tensions within family relationships. While he initially followed the traditional formula of history painting, he later shifted towards more modern subjects, such as cafe scenes and popular entertainments.
The newly illuminated city of Paris provided a wealth of new subjects and inspirations for artists. The gas lamps, in particular, became iconic features of the Parisian landscape, and artists such as Gustave Caillebotte incorporated them into their compositions. In his painting "Paris Street: Rainy Day" (1877), a street lamp is a central element, anchoring the composition with its tall, green structure.
The electrification of Paris also contributed to the city's vibrant nightlife, with raucous cabarets like the Moulin Rouge becoming popular destinations for artists seeking inspiration. These dazzling venues, filled with colourful characters and performances, no doubt influenced the use of colour and light in the paintings of the time.
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Frequently asked questions
The introduction of electricity to Paris, along with the invention of the gas lamp, transformed the city into a dazzling hub of cabarets and late-night entertainment. Artists like Manet, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Picasso were inspired by these illuminated scenes, incorporating them into their paintings. Paris earned its nickname, "the City of Light," due to its early adoption of street lighting.
Manet's work is considered "early modern," with sketch-like passages, black outlining of figures, and a rejection of Renaissance perspective. He preferred to exhibit at the Paris Salon rather than independent exhibitions. Manet's paintings were vibrant and modern, often depicting Parisian life, including café scenes and popular entertainments.
Degas, on the other hand, was a diligent student of the Italian Renaissance and Dutch art. His unique vision involved the complex interplay of shapes and compositions. Degas fully embraced Impressionism, exhibiting at the historic first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, while Manet maintained a distance from the movement.
Manet and Degas were friends and rivals, often painting similar types of scenes, such as café scenes, horse races, nudes, and Parisian life. They met in their late twenties at the Louvre, where Degas was copying a Velázquez painting, which also interested Manet. Despite their differences, they shared a passion for painting life in Paris. Manet and Degas influenced each other's work, with their friendship enduring until Manet's premature death in 1883.
