Young Cosette sweeping 1862

Émile Bayard created this drawing of Young Cosette sweeping, probably in the late 19th century in France. The image depicts a young girl, dressed in rags, diligently sweeping a stone floor. Bayard was a popular illustrator, and this image would have been reproduced in books and magazines, offering a glimpse into the lives of the less fortunate. France in the 1800s was a society marked by great inequalities; rapid industrialization created wealth for some but left many in poverty. We can compare the social realism of Bayard with the academic art perpetuated by institutions like the École des Beaux-Arts, which focused on historical and mythological subjects. Images of the poor, such as Cosette, challenged the status quo by bringing attention to the plight of marginalized people. To gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and social context surrounding this image, research into the history of child labor and poverty in 19th-century France would be invaluable. This artwork becomes more meaningful when seen as a social commentary.