The Office of the Consulting Attorney c. 19th century

Curator: This is Paul Gavarni's "The Office of the Consulting Attorney," now held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels weighted, doesn’t it? The stark contrasts of light and shadow seem to press down on the figures. Curator: Gavarni uses this stark contrast to evoke a sense of tension. The consultation, we might imagine, is fraught with unspoken anxieties and power dynamics. Editor: Yes, the woman seems to bring her grief as if presenting evidence; her lowered head and hat are almost like a shield. The man, too, seems disinclined to meet her gaze, as if avoiding the weight of her emotions. Curator: The scene is rich with the visual shorthand of its time, reflecting anxieties around marriage, social standing, and recourse to law. Perhaps the image is timeless because these tensions endure. Editor: Agreed. The balance of light and dark embodies both the seen and the unseen of human drama.