Plate from Livre de Scènes Comiques 1729 - 1732

Gabriel Huquier created this plate from Livre de Scènes Comiques using etching. The composition is built around a central, horizontal axis defined by the donkey-drawn carriage, creating a theatrical stage-like space. Fine lines articulate details, from the characters' costumes to the architectural backdrop, giving it a feeling of lightness and elegance. The scene presents us with a series of binary oppositions that seem designed to unsettle fixed categories. A grand facade becomes a backdrop for what is an absurd spectacle of Arlequin, who sits in what could be a lunar vehicle. Here, the boundaries of reality and fantasy are blurred, as the familiar setting of a Parisian street is disrupted by this eccentric scene. Huquier uses a semiotic system of signs to both present and destabilize cultural codes and fixed meanings. This approach challenges the viewer to actively decode the various layers of meaning embedded in the artwork. This print functions as a site of ongoing interpretation and re-interpretation, inviting us to engage with the complex interplay of visual and cultural discourses of 18th century France.