The dry and forbidding education given by a prude (Education seche et rebutante donnée par un prude) 1700 - 1739

Curator: Today, we're examining "The dry and forbidding education given by a prude," an engraving by Louis Desplaces, dating from about 1700 to 1739, here at the Met. Editor: My immediate sense is one of suppression. The somber tonality, the rigid postures, and the almost claustrophobic framing all contribute to a palpable feeling of constraint. Curator: Precisely. Note the sharp lines, especially in the folds of the women’s clothing, create a visual stiffness, a lack of fluidity mirroring their constrained emotional state. The textures, though subtly rendered, contribute to the overall austerity. Editor: And observe the distinct symbolism! The young girl's knitting and the older woman's bible present stark images of prescribed feminine virtue and enforced piety, traditional roles limiting women's self-expression during this historical period. Curator: Indeed, knitting was often symbolic of domestic confinement and enforced idleness. Furthermore, consider the contrasting treatment of light and shadow. The illumination accentuates the girl’s downcast eyes and pursed lips, visually encoding resignation and enforced obedience within the tonal range. Editor: Her small, slender hands look ill-suited to the task; the wool seems like a weight holding her in place. The older woman’s hands rest atop heavy tomes, almost as though preventing their contents from escaping. The book's presence feels more like an imposition than an enlightenment. Curator: And look at the composition overall: the way the older woman looms protectively over the girl, yet also seems to weigh down on her; this dynamic echoes how societal and educational pressure literally suppress individual growth and development within a closed environment. Editor: The title of the engraving says it all: the image reflects what might have been known as acceptable forms of ‘proper’ instruction during that era but viewed through a rather more critical, insightful perspective. An ironic piece, hinting, possibly, at deeper unrest bubbling below the surface of prescribed expectations. Curator: I would agree. The engraving allows the contemporary viewer to assess social mores through its construction of sharp lines and shadow – revealing a story of prescribed control within a seemingly idyllic familial structure. Editor: The piece is more than just an image, really; it becomes a portal through which we perceive the historical pressures enacted upon feminine development.