The Cafe Concert (The Song of the Dog) 1877

Edgar Degas painted ‘The Cafe Concert’ with oil on canvas. It offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of Parisian nightlife during the late 19th century. Degas was fascinated by the social dynamics of Parisian entertainment venues. Here he shows a singer performing at a café-concert, a popular form of entertainment for the working and middle classes. The composition emphasizes the artificiality of the performance, with the singer positioned under bright lights and against a backdrop of stylized foliage. Degas captures a sense of modern urban life, where art and entertainment became commodities. The title, ‘The Song of the Dog’, may allude to the often-crude nature of popular songs, hinting at the sometimes-vulgar entertainment offered in these venues. To understand this painting fully, we can explore the popular culture of the period, reading newspapers, playbills, and sheet music. We can begin to understand the complex relationship between art, entertainment, and social class in nineteenth-century Paris.