Bar-room Scene by William Sidney Mount from 1835 portrays a…
Bar-room Scene by William Sidney Mount from 1835 portrays a boisterous group of patrons in a country tavern. The seated men encourage the drunken dance of the central figure, whose tattered clothes and inebriated state suggest a less fortunate position. Standing in the back corner is an African American figure, who, as a free black man in 1830s New York, was able to frequent the public tavern. However, Mount uses __________________ balance to make it clear he was not welcome to fully participate in this community by visually isolating him to the side. The darker shades of color on the right third of the painting balances the primarily lighter and more complex areas on the left.