My aunt Aurélia who said the other day to mom . . . c. 19th century

Curator: This is a lithograph by Paul Gavarni titled "My aunt Aurélie who said the other day to mom . . .", though it lacks a specific date, Gavarni was active in the 19th century. It's currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The composition feels intimate, secretive even. Look at the way the man leans in toward the child. There's a sense of conspiracy in the air. Curator: The piece comes from a series called "Les Enfants Terribles," or "Terrible Children." Gavarni often used his art to comment on social dynamics and familial relationships. The act of whispering is heavy with symbolic meaning; it speaks to the transmission of knowledge, of secrets, between generations. Editor: It’s like a twisted Eden. The man isn't offering an apple, but... gossip? Judgments? It's troubling. I wonder what sort of emotional burden that child will carry. Curator: Yes, the image's power lies in its ambiguity. The child is learning something, but what? And at what cost? Editor: It makes you wonder about the stories we inherit, whether we want them or not.