By early
1921, Morris and Lett had moved from Cornwall to Paris, where they were to be
based intermittently until 1925. They initially set up a studio on rue Notre Dame des Champs in
Montparnasse and later moved to 39 rue Liancourt XIVE. Although neither of them
remained in Paris for more than two months at a time, the French capital was of
immense importance to the artists for its connection with continental
Modernism, the Parisian avant-garde and its notable clientele. During the
1920s, Montparnasse was a haven for artists and intellectuals, as well as those
wishing to live a more liberal existence. While in Paris, Morris and Lett made
many friends as they moved through the creative circles that gathered at La
Rotonde, Le Dôme and Le Sélect, all highly popular cafés among the budding avant-garde. Among
known associates were Djuna Barnes, (1892–1982), Edward Burra (1905–1976),
Nancy Cunard (1896–1965), Peggy Guggenheim (1998–1979), Kathleen Hale
(1898–2000), Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961), Man Ray (1890–1976) and Mary
Reynolds (1890–1950) (the partner of renowned provocateur and creative agitator
Marcel Duchamp (1887–1968)).

Paris in the 1920s was a place of
abandonment, expression and, most significantly, exchange. It was here that
Morris was free to explore his artistic talents surrounded by an immense
modernist presence, as exemplified by the many artists, critics, musicians,
poets and writers who flocked from neighbouring Europe and America to develop
their craft in the company of like-minded people. Morris absorbed his
surroundings when in Paris, sketching in cafés across the city. His depiction
of people in these early works blend caricature with an affectionate gaze that
serves to heighten the individualistic personality Morris invests in his café
scenes. Although Le Bon Bock was not in Montparnasse, it was a café of artistic
distinction and one with a rich heritage, Édouard Manet (1832–1883) having painted a work of the same
title in 1873. Situated in the other, perhaps more renowned artistic quarter of
the city, Montmartre, Le Bon Bock was a hub of artistic exchange and boasted a
vibrant urban atmosphere.

In this work, Morris captures a
fleeting moment of bustling activity as a waiter makes his way through the
jostling crowd of customers. Morris made many sketches during this period in
cafés and restaurants, and it is likely that he painted this back at his
studio. Morris manages to retain the sense of modern leisure and transient
activity not dissimilar to that explored by the Impressionists before him.
Although the technique and stylistic approach differ wildly from artists such
as Claude Monet (1840–1926) and Camille
Pissarro (1830–1903), Morris does
appear to engage with modernity as a valid subject matter, perhaps reminding
the viewer of sentiments expressed by Charles Baudelaire (1821–1867) in his essay The Painter of Modern Life (1863). Much like Manet, Morris assumes
the position of an engaged and watchful flâneur, creating a painting rich in
character and personal interpretation of contemporary Paris in 1922.