I'm going to tell! . . . that you've been in the little jar of that rouge mom wears again. c. 19th century

Curator: This is a lithograph by Paul Gavarni. It's titled "I'm going to tell!...that you've been in the little jar of that rouge mom wears again." Editor: Oh, the drama! It's all contained in this tightly framed scene, yet the accusation feels explosive. Curator: Consider how the artist orchestrates the figures. The downcast father figure looms above, separated spatially from the children. Editor: He is completely disconnected from the children's antics below. It's as though childhood mischief exists in its own separate reality. Curator: The interplay of light and shadow enhances the narrative tension. Gavarni's meticulous rendering really draws the viewer in. Editor: Indeed, you can almost hear the whispered threat and feel the weight of parental disappointment. It’s an intimate slice of domestic life. Curator: A carefully observed commentary on familial dynamics. Editor: I'm struck by how much is conveyed with such economy of line.