The Old Woman and the Two Maids, plate no. 118 from "Fables choisies de La Fontaine ornées de figures lithographiques..." 1813 - 1826

"The Old Woman and the Two Maids" is a lithograph by Horace Vernet, created between 1813 and 1826 as plate 118 for "Fables choisies de La Fontaine ornées de figures lithographiques." The lithograph depicts a scene from Jean de La Fontaine’s fable “The Old Woman and the Two Maidens” where an old woman is trying to convince two servants to sleep with her in her bed so that she can steal their money. The lithograph captures the humor and absurdity of La Fontaine’s fable with realistic details. Horace Vernet, a prominent French painter, often used a dramatic and highly detailed style that made his work popular with the public. The lithograph is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.