Oude man bij groentekraam klaagt over onrijpe druiven 1828

Frédéric Bouchot created this print titled 'Old man at a vegetable stall complaining about unripe grapes', a hand-colored lithograph, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Bouchot presents us with a snapshot of Parisian life, but it is also layered with social commentary. It is of course an illustration of the fable "The Fox and the Grapes." The old man, dressed in the garb of the bourgeoisie, embodies the fox, turning his nose up at the "unripe" grapes. He represents the emerging middle class, eager to display their refinement. The vendor, with her rosy cheeks and humble attire, is a study in contrast. Through her, we glimpse the working class, whose labor sustains the city. Her weary stance tells a story of economic disparity, and one wonders if the grapes are truly sour or simply inaccessible to those who can’t afford them. The young couple strolling by, perhaps, are meant to represent the aspirational desires of the working class for upward mobility. Bouchot asks us, with gentle irony, to consider who has access to what, and what stories we tell ourselves to justify these inequalities.