Lord-tolan prenant sa leçon de dance, La Passions, No. 7 1800 - 1850

This hand-colored etching, created between 1800 and 1850 by the French artist Basset (1785-1819), depicts a caricature of a man, likely a nobleman, taking a dance lesson. The humor lies in the exaggerated proportions of the man's physique, with his large belly and short legs contrasting with the slender figure of the violinist. The scene is likely a commentary on the social and physical foibles of the time, a popular theme for satire in the early 19th century. The work is part of the "Les Précieuses" series, which featured humorous scenes of everyday life. The etching, titled "Lord-tolan prenant sa leçon de dance," is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.