Tough medicine 

Jehan Georges Vibert painted ‘Tough Medicine’ in France during a time when the Catholic Church's authority was being questioned. The painting depicts a cardinal engrossed in a book, while a woman, possibly a peasant, offers him a pinch of snuff. The humor comes from the cardinal’s dour expression, contrasted with the luxury surrounding him, and the woman's simple offering. What is it about the church that he finds so difficult to stomach? The title suggests the cardinal finds something unpleasant to contemplate in the book’s pages. Vibert was known for his satirical scenes of clerical life. He invites the viewer to question the Church's role in society. Is he critiquing its detachment from the common people? Or is he commenting on the perceived hypocrisy of the clergy? To fully understand Vibert's intent, we might delve into period publications, theological debates, and the artist's biography, revealing a complex web of social and institutional context.