But since I tell you that I have a husband. . . c. 19th century

Editor: This drawing, by Paul Gavarni, is titled "But since I tell you that I have a husband . . .". It looks like a scene from a play – two men are whispering conspiratorially while another lurks in the background. What's your take on this piece? Curator: It's definitely theatrical, isn't it? Gavarni was a master of capturing Parisian life with wit and insight. I see a commentary on societal facades and hidden truths, maybe a hint of forbidden desires lurking beneath the surface of polite society. Notice how the background figure is literally "in the shadows", almost as if he represents the unspoken consequences. What do you think? Editor: That’s a great point, the shadows add a certain menace to it. I initially saw it as humorous, but I think I get a better sense of the underlying tension now. Curator: Exactly! And humor often masks deeper anxieties. Art can be like that, a layered experience that reveals itself over time.