Der Lockenraub, ein scherzhaftes Heldengedicht. 1772

This etching, made by Alexander Pope, illustrates a scene from his mock-heroic poem, "The Rape of the Lock." We are presented with a snapshot of aristocratic social life, likely in 18th-century England, complete with elaborate dress, card games, and a general air of refined leisure. The setting itself – a well-appointed drawing-room – speaks to the economic and social status of the figures depicted. Pope, a satirist of his time, uses the poem to gently critique the foibles and vanities of the upper class. The artwork underscores the performative nature of social rituals and the seemingly trivial matters that can become inflated within a closed social circle. To truly understand the nuances, one might delve into the literary context of Pope's poem and consider how it both reflects and gently pokes fun at the social norms of its era. Art history is, in this case, a matter of social and literary history.