But! . . . it seems to me . . . c. 19th century

Curator: Here we have a lithograph by Paul Gavarni entitled "But! . . . it seems to me . . ." currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. What are your first impressions? Editor: The stark contrast between the man's rigid posture and the woman's languid pose on the sofa really strikes me. It's all lines and angles versus soft curves, created with those lithographic stones. I wonder about the social context here. Curator: It’s part of a series called "Fourberies de Femmes," so it's likely a commentary on gender relations and societal expectations. The man's hesitant expression, his almost apologetic stance, suggests a power dynamic, wouldn't you say? Editor: Perhaps, but the very materiality of the print allows for widespread consumption, suggesting this scene resonated broadly. Gavarni’s technique allowed for a commentary on bourgeois life, accessible to the bourgeois themselves. Curator: A shared visual language, indeed. These subtle poses speak volumes about unspoken rules. Editor: It makes you consider how art and its making become an everyday mirror reflecting us all.