View of the Grand Basin of the Tuileries (behind the statue of Autumn) 1798 - 1808

"View of the Grand Basin of the Tuileries (behind the statue of Autumn)" is an engraving by Johann Heinrich Troll. It offers a glimpse into the social life of late 18th-century Paris. Here, the Tuileries Garden is not merely a backdrop, but a stage where identities and social hierarchies are performed. The statue of Autumn, a classical figure, overlooks a scene of leisure, with figures strolling and sketching. These individuals, presumably members of the bourgeoisie, are presented in stark contrast to the laboring classes, who are conspicuously absent from this picture of Parisian life. The leisurely scene is punctuated by the presence of a woman and her dog which serves as a marker of status and wealth. What is depicted and what is omitted offer a commentary on the cultural values and social divisions of the era. Troll invites us to consider the emotional and social distance that art can create. This distance prompts us to reflect on the ways in which beauty and leisure are often predicated on exclusion."