Twee mannen bij een balustrade op een terras 1843

Paul Gavarni made this lithograph of two men on a terrace sometime in the mid-19th century. It's a satire on marriage, a commentary on social mobility, and also a window onto the institutions of art that Gavarni himself navigated. The print comes from a period when artists in France were turning to the popular press as a way to make a living and to comment on the society around them. Looking at the image, you get the sense of a society in flux. One figure seems to be questioning the other's commitment to a marriage, perhaps for money. They are defined by their clothes, which indicate their social standing and aspirations. The scene takes place on a terrace, a semi-public space, which reflects the changing relationship between the private and public in 19th-century France. To understand this print fully, we can look at the illustrated press, fashion plates, and social commentaries from the time. These sources help us to see how Gavarni used his art to engage with the pressing social questions of his day.