"Frétillon" from The Complete Works of Béranger 1836

This is J.J. Grandville's "Frétillon" from The Complete Works of Béranger. It's a print on paper and was made in France sometime before the artist's death in 1847. Grandville was a famous caricaturist who worked at a time of great political and social change in France. The subject is a young woman looking out of a window. It's likely an illustration for a song by Pierre-Jean de Béranger, a hugely popular songwriter in the first half of the 19th century. Béranger’s songs often celebrated the lives of ordinary people and criticized the ruling classes. Grandville's image has a touch of that sentiment. The woman is simply dressed but wears an elaborate bonnet. Is this a reference to the fashions of the upper classes? It might be a subtle comment on social aspirations, or perhaps it's just a charming detail from daily life. To fully understand this image, we need to delve into the culture of the time, looking at sources like popular songbooks, fashion plates, and political cartoons. Only then can we really understand the complex relationship between art and society in 19th-century France.