Oude koppelaarster praat in op jonge wasvrouw 1854

Paul Gavarni made this print, “An Old Procurer Speaks to a Young Washerwoman”, using etching in the 19th century. It invites us to consider the social and economic realities faced by working-class women in Paris at that time. The scene depicts a stark contrast: a youthful washerwoman, burdened with labor, and an older woman, likely a matchmaker, attempting to persuade her. Gavarni highlights the vulnerability of women in a society where economic survival often meant navigating precarious moral grounds. Prints like these were often circulated in newspapers like Le Charivari, reflecting social realities and offering commentary on the institutions shaping everyday life. To fully appreciate Gavarni's work, we can turn to sources from the period—newspapers, literature, and social surveys—offering a deeper understanding of the lives of those he depicted. Art is, after all, a product and reflection of its time.