Zittende vrouw en staande man 1765 - 1792

Joseph de Longueil created this small engraving called 'Zittende vrouw en staande man' which translates to 'Seated woman and standing man' in 1765. The Rococo period in which De Longueil was working, was characterized by its ornate style and depictions of aristocratic life and leisure. Notice how the central figures are placed within a natural setting, a popular subject in Rococo art. It's hard not to consider how gender and class intersect. The woman is seated and appears almost melancholic. Her dress signifies a certain status, yet she is passive. The man is standing, his gesture suggesting action or perhaps distress. Their interaction raises questions about the roles and expectations placed upon men and women within 18th-century French society. I am left thinking about the constraints and freedoms experienced by individuals based on their gender and social standing, and how these dynamics are subtly portrayed in this intimate scene.