La Parisienne (13) 1902

Jacques Villon created this print, La Parisienne, using etching and aquatint. Villon was associated with the Parisian avant-garde. As such, it seems fitting that he focused on the Parisian woman as a symbol of modern life. Looking at this print, we might ask ourselves, what are the visual codes and cultural references that speak to the historical moment in which it was made? Villon made this in France at the beginning of the 20th century. The print shows a woman in an elaborate dress and hat, seated in a plush chair. She represents the bourgeoisie at a time when class tensions were high. The printmaker was the brother of artists Marcel Duchamp and Suzanne Duchamp. He was active in the debates that would lead to Cubism. That fact alone suggests that the artist sought to challenge existing social norms. More research could help us to understand the institutional context of this print.