La Fontaine 1739

Charles Nicolas Cochin I created this print, La Fontaine, in France, likely in the first half of the 18th century. The scene depicts a woman drawing water, surrounded by domestic objects in what appears to be a modest interior. But let’s consider the broader social and cultural context. The title, ‘La Fontaine,’ links the image to the idea of a water source but also to Jean de la Fontaine, the famous fabulist whose work often critiqued social norms through animal allegory. This print can be seen to question the traditional artistic hierarchy that valued elevated historical or mythological subjects over scenes of everyday life. Here we have the artist engaging with the world of labor, a world of women. By focusing on an ordinary, domestic scene, the print subtly challenges the status quo. Further research into the patrons and audience for prints in 18th-century France, through institutional archives and period documents, might reveal more about its social and cultural significance.