Dronken man slaapt roes uit na carnaval 1843

Paul Gavarni made this lithograph, "Drunken Man Sleeping Off a Hangover After Carnival," in France, sometime in the mid-19th century. It's a biting commentary on social norms and the consequences of excess, masked under the harmless guise of Carnival celebrations. Carnival, historically a period of revelry before Lent, allowed for a temporary inversion of social hierarchies. Gavarni seizes on this to critique the behavior of the upper classes, who could indulge in such excesses with little consequence. Here, the man's disheveled state is not just a personal failing but an indictment of a society that enables and even celebrates such behavior. The print medium itself is significant. Lithographs like these were widely circulated in newspapers and journals, making social commentary accessible to a broad audience. By using humor and relatable scenarios, Gavarni subtly challenges the status quo, prompting viewers to question the values and behaviors of their own society. To understand this work better, one might look at the illustrated press of the time. Gavarni’s commentary speaks to the enduring tension between individual freedom and social responsibility.