Ein Zwerg und eine junge Frau im Gespräch 1774

Jean-Honoré Fragonard made this drawing of a dwarf and a young woman in conversation with brown wash on paper. It depicts a fashionable lady seated with a dwarf standing on the left, set against a lightly sketched architectural backdrop. Consider the social context of 18th century France; a rigid hierarchy where physical differences were often viewed through a lens of amusement or marginalization. Dwarfs, like other individuals deemed 'different', occupied a unique position, sometimes finding employment in noble households as entertainers. We might consider the power dynamics at play here. Is Fragonard offering a commentary on social status and the ways in which individuals are perceived based on their physical attributes? Or is he merely depicting a curious encounter? To understand this artwork fully, we would need to research the cultural norms of the period, looking at literature, fashion, and social practices that reflect attitudes towards disability and social class. It's through this lens that we can begin to interpret the complex layers of meaning embedded within Fragonard's drawing.