Le monstre au même instant tire un coutelas... 1825

Horace Vernet created this print, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. It depicts an attempted assassination. The print is made during a period of political turbulence in France. In the 19th century, prints were used to comment on the key issues of the day, spreading political ideas via newspapers and journals. Here, Vernet looks back to a period of similar turbulence and uncertainty. It reflects the public role of art in questioning the legitimacy of political power. Vernet might have drawn on popular theatre or historical accounts of the event. The art historian would look for visual codes in costume, setting, and the contrast between the figures to decipher the politics of imagery. The meaning of this print is contingent on the social context in which it was made and consumed.