Well! If I had as many homes to do ... as I've undone!, p. 77 c. 19th century

Curator: This is Paul Gavarni's "Well! If I had as many homes to do ... as I've undone!" a print from the mid-19th century. Editor: There’s a sense of melancholic grit about it. The stark lines create a feeling of hardship. Curator: Gavarni's lithographic work often depicted the lives of Parisian working classes. He was interested in the labor that sustained the city. Editor: It's fascinating to see those class dynamics reflected in the composition; the woman’s weary figure dominates the foreground, hinting at the societal structures that shape her existence. Curator: Right, we see the materiality of poverty, of struggle. This print would have been mass-produced, consumed widely, thus shaping perceptions of the working class. Editor: Exactly. And the caption suggests the character's role in "undoing homes," which implies a critique of the instability and moral judgement facing women in that era. Curator: Gavarni gave us insight into the societal and material conditions of his time. Editor: A powerful commentary then and a vital lens today.