Dronken brigadier Petremann 1830

This lithograph, Dronken brigadier Petremann, was created by Nicolas Toussaint Charlet. The artwork depicts a disheveled soldier leaning on a table, seemingly lost in a drunken stupor. The composition centers around the figure, drawing our attention to his slumped posture and unfocused gaze. Charlet’s use of line and shadow creates a palpable sense of disarray, emphasizing the soldier’s lack of composure. The bottles on the table become signifiers of excess and dissolution. The print challenges idealized images of military heroism. The scene reads as a critique of social norms and military culture. The off-center composition allows for a dynamic interplay between figure and space, enhancing the work’s thematic tension. In this way, Charlet uses formal elements not just aesthetically but also as part of a broader cultural commentary.