Les jolies femmes de Paris, 1848, No. 15 : Madame, faut-il laisser (...) c. 1848

Editor: So, here we have "Les jolies femmes de Paris" from around 1848, by an anonymous artist. It's a lithograph, pen and ink drawing, a monochromatic print showing two women. There’s this great tension between them. What jumps out at you when you look at this? Curator: Oh, that delicious, simmering tension! The languid pose of the woman reclining, juxtaposed with the tentative figure at the door... it's pure theater. It whispers of societal expectations, secret desires, and the power dynamics of the time. Think about what "jolies femmes" – pretty women – *meant* in Paris then. It's more than just a compliment, isn't it? Editor: Right, like a commodity almost? The caption does make it more direct. What do you make of it? Curator: Exactly! And the caption… genius! "Madame, should I let Monsieur in? He didn't say his name. No... but he looks respectable, he smokes camphor!" That casual disregard for protocol, veiled by concern for appearances... it's a snapshot of a very specific social game. Does it feel familiar to you? A commentary on modern dating apps maybe? Editor: Wow, I hadn't even thought of that connection. The drawing style is really interesting too, so loose, almost like a sketch. Curator: Absolutely. It lends a sense of immediacy, as if we're eavesdropping on a private moment. And the artist’s anonymity is intriguing. Why hide? Perhaps this scene was too close to the bone, too subversive to claim openly. I wonder... Editor: That’s such a cool point. It’s so much more than just a simple drawing, isn’t it? It's packed with context and innuendo! Curator: Exactly! And isn’t that the magic of art? It's never *just* what you see; it's a conversation across centuries, fueled by curiosity and a dash of imagination. I am taking this home with me!