Récréation Des Prisonniers À Saint-Lazare; La Partie De Ballon 1794

Hubert Robert's 1794 painting "Récréation Des Prisonniers À Saint-Lazare; La Partie De Ballon" depicts a scene of prisoners playing a game of "ballon" (a type of early soccer) in the courtyard of the Saint-Lazare prison in Paris. The painting captures a moment of leisure and camaraderie amidst the harsh reality of imprisonment. The perspective of the painting emphasizes the architectural grandeur of the prison building while also highlighting the small scale of the prisoners within the courtyard. Robert, a prominent painter of the Neoclassical era, captures the scene with an air of realism and pathos, inviting viewers to contemplate the lives of those imprisoned during this tumultuous period in French history.