page_title: Cultural references to absinthe
section_title: Arts
hierarchical_section_title: Cultural references to absinthe / Arts
context_page_description: The legacy of absinthe as a mysterious, addictive, and mind-altering drink continues to this day. Though its psychoactive effects and chemical makeup are contested, its cultural impact is not. Absinthe has played a notable role in the fine art movements of Impressionism, Post-impressionism, Surrealism, Modernism, Cubism and in the corresponding literary movements. The legendary drink has more recently appeared in movies, video, television, music, and contemporary literature. The modern absinthe revival has had a notable effect on its portrayal. It is often shown as an unnaturally glowing green liquid demonstrating the influence of contemporary marketing efforts.
context_section_description: Absinthe has a widely documented role in 19th-century visual art and was frequently the subject of many genre paintings and still lifes of the day.
  Édouard Manet began his career with The Absinthe Drinker (1858), oil on canvas demonstrating that at least he was exposed to the drink and its effects.
  Edgar Degas' painting L'Absinthe (1876) portrayed grim absinthe drinkers in a cafe. Degas himself never called the painting "L'Absinthe"; it was either his art dealer or a later owner who gave it the name.  Years later, it set off a flurry in the London art world, and the grim realism of "L'Absinthe" (a theme popular with bohemian artists) was perceived by London art critics as a lesson against alcohol and the French in general.
  Paul Verlaine was addicted to absinthe in his last (alcoholic) period.
  Paul Gauguin is known for consuming large quantities of absinthe, and his bold use of flat color has also been attributed to its influence.
  Picasso depicted absinthe in various media, including the paintings Woman Drinking Absinthe (1901), Bottle of Pernod and Glass (1912), and the sculpture Absinthe Glass (1914).
  Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was notorious for his consumption of the green muse. He often painted impressionistic scenes of the brothels and night spots of 19th-century Montmartre. Lautrec was even known to carry a hollow cane filled with absinthe during long nights out in Paris. An example of Lautrec's work featuring absinthe is in the painting Monsieur Boileau au café.
  Vincent van Gogh was not a man of moderation, and drank large quantities of absinthe while creating his signature painting style. His ear removing episode is often attributed to overconsumption of absinthe as is his liberal use of the color yellow.
caption: Monsieur Boileau au café, by Toulouse-Lautrec.
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