Le Grand Russe 1860s

"Le Grand Russe", a photograph by French artist Pierre-Louis Pierson, captures a young boy dressed in a long coat, a fur-trimmed hat, and carrying a large bag. The boy's serious expression and the weight of his cargo suggest he is a working-class individual, perhaps a messenger or delivery boy. The image is a social commentary on the labor of children during the 19th century, a subject that was often explored by photographers of the period. The photograph, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is an evocative snapshot of everyday life in 19th-century France.