| Artist | John Brack |
|---|---|
| Year | 1954 |
| Type | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 96.4 cm × 140.0 cm (38.0 in × 55.1 in) |
| Location | National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne |
The Bar is a 1954 painting by Australian artist John Brack. The subject of the painting is a direct reference to Édouard Manet's 1882 work A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.[1] It depicts a barmaid working in an Australian pub at the time of the "six o'clock swill". As in Manet's work, the patrons of the bar are shown in a reflection behind the barmaid. The work is considered a companion piece to Brack's later work Collins St., 5 pm.[2]
The painting was first sold to a Melbourne art collector for 90 guineas in 1954.[1] In 2006, the painting sold for $3.12m, a then record for an Australian work of art at auction.[1] The National Gallery of Victoria acquired the painting in 2009. [2]
The painting is part of the National Gallery of Victoria's Australian art collection and exhibited in the Ian Potter Centre in Federation Square in Melbourne.