Oude man met handen in zijn zakken 1852

Paul Gavarni made this lithograph called ‘Oude man met handen in zijn zakken’ – ‘Old man with hands in his pockets’ – in 19th century France, and it can be found at the Rijksmuseum. Consider the title; Gavarni has chosen to highlight this man's poverty. His hands are in his pockets because he has nothing else to occupy them. This print comes from a series entitled 'The Invalids of Sentiment' and is captioned, 'Has he loved women!'. Gavarni thereby implies that this man’s poverty and loneliness are the result of some failed love affair. This image reflects the growing social awareness of the time. It speaks to the changing roles of the individual and the increasing concern for the poor. To better understand Gavarni’s image, we might look to historical sources such as records of charities and social programs. These might reveal the social attitudes that shaped Gavarni's art.