The Server of Bocks 1879

"The Server of Bocks" (1879) by French Impressionist painter Édouard Manet portrays a scene in a Parisian bar. The painting features three figures: a female server, a man sitting with his back to the viewer, and a woman visible in the background. The server, facing the viewer, holds a glass of beer, a common beverage of the time, while the seated man appears to be paying attention to the woman in the background. Manet utilizes loose brushstrokes and a subdued palette to capture a fleeting moment of everyday life, a hallmark of Impressionism. This painting, now housed in the Musée d'Orsay, provides a glimpse into the Parisian café culture of the late 19th century.