Two Recruits c. 1715

Jean-Antoine Watteau made this drawing titled, *Two Recruits*, with red chalk, during the height of the artist's career in France. Watteau lived in a time of shifting social structures, with the rigid hierarchies of the old aristocracy giving way to a more moneyed, mobile society. Here, the standing man exudes a self-assuredness, his gaze directed elsewhere, perhaps towards a future of military glory. By contrast, the kneeling figure appears awkward, his posture suggesting a mix of reluctance and deference. These men embody a sense of the shifting identities and social mobility characteristic of the early 18th century. What does it mean to willingly enlist in military service? Watteau captures a moment of personal decision-making set against the backdrop of larger social forces. Through his subtle rendering of body language and expression, Watteau invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between individual agency and societal expectations.