Édouard Manet, A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, 1882

Realism became a vehicle for artists to make honest commentary on society breaking the myths that had surrounded the reasons for the class systems. In this work, Manet calls into question the prevalent idea that the aristocracy deserves their station in life because they are of higher moral character. The bar shows us that the wealthy drink and conduct themselves in the same way as the poor, and calls into question the myth of aristocratic morality.