Analysis of "Absinthe" painting by Degas

“Absinthe” by Edgar Degas, 1876, Paris Musée d’Orsay. Size: 92cm x 68cm 1. Description of the scene The scene seems to take place in a bistro. Two figures are seated on a bench behind a rectangular table. The woman with a blank look stares at a point in front of her, the man seems to be looking to her left through a window with curtains. The woman stands in front of a full glass. The man with a pipe in his mouth stands with his face turned to his left, a glass of wine filled to his right. The two do not seem to know each other, do not interact.   2. Description of the characters Woman: The seated woman appears to be in her thirties. She has long hair pulled up in a bun, it is not very disciplined, she also has bangs, this hair is brown with some red highlights. His eyes are dark and empty, expressionless. She is not smiling and her hands are placed under the table on her knees. She stands a little stooped but seems quite tall. Man: The man sitting to the left of the woman has dark eyes, X-shaped eyebrows and has a dark beard that covers his cheeks. He also has a fluff between his nose and mouth. He is smoking a pipe. His right elbow is placed on the table and his right hand seems to hold his left elbow also placed on the table. He seems smaller than the woman. He leans slightly towards the table.   3. Costumes Woman: She wears a gray hat with a black brim. She is dressed in a light, beige long-sleeved blouse with more orange on the chest, the collar of this blouse is made of fine white lace. She is also dressed in a long brown ruffled skirt that falls to her ankles. She also appears to be wearing black stockings (feet). Her flat shoes are white and closed in the front with white laces as well. Man: He wears a black bowler hat. He is dressed in a black suit jacket, underneath he appears to be wearing a dark brown vest beneath which is a white shirt. He also appears to have an undone knot around his neck. His pants are dark brown and his shoes are classic and black.   4. Decor The scene takes place in a bistro, only a wall covered with tiles and a mirror is visible. Windows are also visible through the mirror.   In the foreground is a white marble coffee table, this is not fully visible. It is on this table that the painter's signature is found. There seems to be an object (ashtray?) next to this signature. A strip of the same marble whose function (except connecting the foreground to the second plane) is unknown. The viewer can also observe a piece of yellowish soil. In the background is a second table. This is not entirely visible either, but the viewer can guess it is rectangular. It is white and also made of marble. On this table is an empty carafe on a silver platter. Behind this table a brown wooden bench is visible. Above this a section of a few centimeters of white or very light gray tiles. These are attached to the left to the wooden frame of a mirror. In the background there is also a third table to the left of the second and separated from it by a space of a few centimeters. This third table is also white marble. Only one part is visible. It is behind this that the two characters are installed. On this table in the inside right corner is facing the woman a glass full of a white or even light green liquid (absinthe?), another glass, of red wine this time is a little further to the left near the right elbow of the woman. 'man.   The two figures sitting side by side on the bench are topped by the mirror. This reflects the back of the head (hair and hat) of the woman and the man. To the left of the man's reflection is the reflection of whitish curtains on which grayish flowers are drawn.   5. The structure of the layout The point of view is that of the painter who is not facing the painting but to the left (from the spectator's point of view). The painter seems to be 1 meter from the ground, in any case lower than the seated figures because the viewer is faced with a slight low angle effect. In this canvas there is a play of horizontals or slightly obliques. These are drawn by the top of the bench on the one hand and by the exterior and interior edges of the tables in the background (triple set of lines).The perspective is not clear. Oblique, vertical and horizontal “half-lines” deconstruct the painting. The proportions are respected which gives the painting realism. The image is captured with a medium focal length which allows almost the entire scene to be viewed (part of the man is missing). The depth of field is quite large: most elements are sharp even if the mirror elements are a little less so.   The colors are generally warm (browns, oranges, burgundy, yellowish soil). However, there is a contrast between these warm tones and the white of the marble tables and the grayish curtains. Nothing is vivid. Everything seems dull, the dominant color is reminiscent of dead autumn leaves.   6. Light The light in this painting is particular because it comes from off-camera right (from the viewer's point of view) but is reflected in the painting through the windows with translucent curtains visible in the mirror. We therefore assume that natural daylight comes from outside which illuminates at the same time from outside the painting (off-screen) and from inside the painting, reflection of the light on the mirror. Perhaps the painter wanted to play on a contrast between the light from outside and the empty characters from within, the darkness of their alcoholic souls?   This painting is filled with a strong emotional charge. Solitude of alcoholism, confinement in her malaise of the woman who stares into space as if no escape were possible, the only opening to the world are the windows behind the curtains reflected in the mirror. This opening seems distant because it is only a reflection. In addition, the windows (exit?) are covered with curtains. Does the light come from this “door”, the exit from one’s unhappiness into the world?
© Fine Art Expertises LLC - www.vwart.com ​