The Pleasures of the Drunkards c. 18th century

Editor: This is "The Pleasures of the Drunkards" by Jean Pelletier. It's a print, and the Harvard Art Museums estimate Pelletier was born around 1736. The scene feels chaotic, but also kind of… still. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The print’s title seems ironic, doesn’t it? Look at the slumped figures. Pelletier seems to critique the culture of excess within a specific social stratum. How does the artist use light and shadow to convey a moral message? Editor: So, it's not just a funny scene of drunk people? It's saying something about society? Curator: Precisely. Consider the historical context. What power structures might Pelletier be subtly questioning through this depiction of revelry and its consequences? Editor: I never thought about it that way. I guess it's not just about the "pleasures." Thanks for that new perspective.