La danse, Château de Kerduel, Comte de Champagny 

Gustave Jean Jacquet's "La danse, Château de Kerduel, Comte de Champagny" is an oil painting that summons a world of leisure, but it also subtly speaks of labor and class. Jacquet's use of oil paint gives the scene a smoothness and polish, idealizing the lives of the aristocracy. It suggests a great deal of preparatory work and skill, academic training, and studio practice. This highly refined technique contrasts starkly with the labor that would have been required to produce the lavish garments worn by the figures. Consider the cultivation of silk, the weaving of fabric, the skilled labor of tailors and seamstresses, and the global trade networks required to bring these materials together. Jacquet doesn’t directly depict this world of work, instead, he elegantly transforms it, making it a backdrop to a scene of aristocratic leisure. By highlighting the immense amount of labor involved in creating this image and the world it represents, we can reflect on the complex relationship between art, craft, and the broader social context.