Parade: "Ladies and Gentlemen, one need not have the trifling 18 million..." 1831

Editor: Here we have Auguste Raffet's "Parade: 'Ladies and Gentlemen, one need not have the trifling 18 million...'" This print feels incredibly cynical, almost like a mocking performance. What social commentary do you see at play here? Curator: It is indeed steeped in critique. Raffet shrewdly uses caricature to expose the societal hierarchies of his time. Consider the figures elevated on the platform versus the audience below. Are we witnessing a genuine spectacle or a manipulated performance designed to reinforce existing power dynamics? Who benefits, and who is being exploited? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered the power dynamic in such a literal way. Curator: Think about the context: France was still grappling with the echoes of revolution. Raffet might be questioning the very notion of "republicanism" if it still produced such stark inequalities. What does this tell us about who gets to define "progress"? Editor: It seems Raffet challenges us to look beyond the surface of political rhetoric. Thank you!