Bourgeoisie c. 19th century

Curator: Ah, yes, Paul Gavarni’s “Bourgeoisie,” it's all in shades of gray, and yet...she almost seems to shimmer, doesn't she? Editor: There's a striking contrast between her attire and the title. "Bourgeoisie" suggests urban affluence, but her simple dress and wide-brimmed hat speak of rural life. It's a visual paradox. Curator: Absolutely. Perhaps it’s Gavarni poking fun at the pretensions of the middle class, playing dress-up in the countryside. Or maybe it’s about the ever-blurring lines between social classes. Editor: Or perhaps, it’s about the mythologizing of the rural as authentic, juxtaposed against the artificiality often associated with the urban bourgeoisie. What does “authenticity” even look like? Curator: Food for thought, truly! The ambiguity is what gives it staying power. Editor: Precisely! It invites us to question our own assumptions about class, identity, and the spaces we inhabit.