Dienstplichtige en prentverkoper 1824

Nicolas Toussaint Charlet created this lithograph, "Dienstplichtige en prentverkoper," which translates to "Conscript and Print Seller," during a period of significant social upheaval in France. Charlet, deeply affected by his father's service in Napoleon's army, often depicted military life and its impact on ordinary people. Here, we see a print seller engaging with a conscript, likely during the post-Napoleonic era when conscription was still a reality. The print seller, with his bourgeois attire, stands in contrast to the uniformed soldier, highlighting the divide between civilian and military life. There's a palpable tension in the scene, a negotiation perhaps, around the imagery of war and the conscript’s potential future. The exchange between the two may imply the seller is peddling propaganda. Charlet's personal connection to the military provides an emotional depth, reflecting his complex feelings about war, duty, and French society’s relationship with its military. The lithograph serves as both a historical record and a personal statement, inviting us to consider the human cost of military service.