You don't know your lesson . . . c. 19th century

Curator: This is a lithograph by Paul Gavarni, titled "You don't know your lesson . . .", housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It strikes me as a scene of domestic confinement, the lines of the print almost trapping the figures. The body language—the man’s relaxed posture, the child’s limpness—suggests a weariness. Curator: Gavarni’s work often engaged with the social and political realities of 19th-century France. Consider the power dynamics at play here. Is this a commentary on education, or perhaps parental roles? Editor: I see a different story in the symbolism. The child in his lap, almost like an offering...perhaps it represents sacrifice, the loss of innocence through forced learning. Curator: I appreciate that interpretation. It deepens the narrative and moves beyond a simple reading of parental frustration. The print then becomes a statement on the broader societal pressures faced by families at the time. Editor: Ultimately, it’s the enduring power of these visual symbols that allows the artwork to transcend its original context and speak to us today.