L'Absinthe
Edgar Degas, 1875–1876 · Impressionism
Image 1 of 3: Stretched canvas
Type
Size
Frame finish
Original is 27" × 36" — our 12" × 16" is about 44% of actual size.
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340gsm cotton rag paper or archival canvas, with archival inks rated to resist fading for over 100 years. We check every crop so the art sits right.
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About this work
Its original title was simply Dans un café, In a Café. The title L'Absinthe came only when the picture was shown in London in 1893.
The Musée d'Orsay stresses that the scene only looks caught on the spot. The framing suggests a snapshot taken by someone at a nearby table, yet Degas painted it in the studio, not the café. The café itself is real: La Nouvelle Athènes, on the place Pigalle, a haunt of modern artists and bohemians.
Look at the edges. The off-centre composition leaves empty spaces and slices off the man's pipe and hand. The idea came from Japanese prints, but here it produces a drunken slewing. Then look behind the pair, where the long mirror holds their shadow as a silhouette.
Both sitters were people Degas knew. The picture harmed their reputations, and he had to say publicly that they were not alcoholics. Parallels have been drawn with Zola's L'Assommoir, and Zola told Degas he had "quite plainly described some of your pictures" in his pages.
The original is an upright oil on canvas, 920 by 680 mm, so canvas matches its surface.
Edgar Degas
L'Absinthe, 1875–1876
Oil on canvas
- Original size
- 68 × 92cm
- 27" × 36"
Choose how it’s printed
Every piece is made to order and printed within 3 business days. Printed in the USA, with free shipping and our 90-day happiness guarantee.
Stretched canvas
Archival canvas stretched over 1.5″ solid wood stretcher bars. At gallery depth the canvas stands off the wall on its own, so it looks finished with no frame at all.
The image wraps around the edges, so the painting carries on around the sides, and it arrives with hanging wire installed, ready to go straight on the wall.
- Canvas
- Archival canvas
- Depth
- 1.5″ solid wood stretcher bars
- Inks
- Archival inks, rated to resist fading for over 100 years
- Edges
- Image wrapped around the sides
- Arrives
- Boxed, with hanging wire installed
Framed canvas
The same archival canvas, set in a floating frame. The frame sits around the canvas edge with a small gap, so the canvas appears to float inside it.
Choose black, white, gold or silver. There’s no glass, so there’s nothing to catch reflections or crack in transit.
- Frame
- Solid wood floating frame in black, white, gold or silver, 0.55″ face, 1.88″ deep
- Canvas
- Archival canvas on 1.5″ solid wood stretcher bars
- Glazing
- None, so there’s no glass to catch reflections
- Arrives
- Boxed, with hanging wire installed
Fine art print
Printed on 340gsm cold press fine art paper made from 100% cotton rag. Cold press paper is pressed between cold rollers, which leaves a subtle natural texture, like watercolour paper, so the painting reads as paint rather than a glossy photo.
Cotton rag is the traditional base for archival fine art paper. It’s acid-free, so it won’t yellow or turn brittle, and the matte surface means no glare under lamps or daylight.
- Paper
- 340gsm, 100% cotton rag, acid-free
- Surface
- Cold press texture, matte finish
- Printing
- Giclée, with archival pigment inks
- Inks
- Archival inks, rated to resist fading for over 100 years
- Arrives
- Flat in a card mailer when small, rolled in a tube when larger, ready for your own frame
How big is the original L'Absinthe?
The original is 68 cm wide and 92 cm high (27" × 36"). That is roughly the size of a flat-screen TV, large enough to hold a wall on its own. Our 30"×40" print is close to actual size. Below, it is shown at true scale over a 72" sideboard.
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Frequently asked questions
All questions →Will the colours match my screen?
Close, but not identical — screens emit light and prints reflect it, so tones read a little warmer on paper. We work from the museum's own high-resolution image wherever possible. If the colours aren't what you hoped for, our 90-day happiness guarantee covers you.
How big will it actually look?
Every size is listed in inches. Prints come in six standard shapes, so most paintings are cropped slightly to the closest one, and we never stretch a painting or pad it with white bars. Each artwork page shows the print against the original dimensions.
What if it arrives damaged?
If your print arrives damaged or is lost in transit, we'll replace it free or refund you. Email us your order number and a photo within 90 days of delivery.
How soon will it arrive?
Every print is made to order. It's printed within 3 business days and delivered within 5 more, so it arrives within 8 business days. Tracking is included.
What are the prints made of?
Fine art prints use 340gsm cold press fine art paper, 100% cotton rag and acid-free, with archival inks. Cold press paper is pressed between cold rollers, which leaves a subtle natural texture like watercolour paper, and its matte surface has no glare. Canvases use 360gsm archival canvas, stretched over solid wood stretcher bars.
Canvas, framed or fine art print?
Canvas is stretched over solid wood stretcher bars and ready to hang. Framed prints are canvases set in a floating frame, with no glass, and also arrive ready to hang. Fine art prints are printed on cotton rag paper, ship flat or rolled in a tube depending on size, ready for your own frame, and are the lower-cost way to start.