Giddyup! Giddyup! Papa . . . oh! You don't play horse as well as Janisset . . . c. 19th century

Editor: So, this is Paul Gavarni's "Giddyup! Giddyup! Papa...oh! You don't play horse as well as Janisset..." It appears to be an ink drawing. I’m struck by how the child seems to dominate the composition, despite his small size. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a commentary on labor and leisure. Consider the lithographic process. It democratized image production, making scenes like this accessible to a wider audience. This drawing likely references the social status of the father through his implied economic means to afford leisure time with his son. Editor: So, the means of production reflect social class? Curator: Precisely. The drawing itself, as a commodity, participates in and reflects the social dynamics it depicts. Notice the quality of the paper, the detail in the father's coat compared to the child's simpler garments. What do these choices suggest about consumption and display? Editor: I hadn't considered that, but it adds another layer to the scene's implied narrative and the relationship between the figures depicted. Thanks!