The husband of Mademoiselle Cicada., p. 49 1852

Editor: This is "The husband of Mademoiselle Cicada" by Paul Gavarni. It's a small print, and the etching style gives it a slightly melancholic feel. What symbols do you see at play here? Curator: The top hat, the coat, and even the gesture of holding fabric. All suggest a striving for bourgeois respectability. Yet, the figure is labeled "husband of Mademoiselle Cicada," a reference to the flighty grasshopper of fable. Is this a mask, a performance? Or a genuine aspiration? Editor: That's a great question. So is the artist implying a societal critique? Curator: Perhaps. Gavarni often explored the complexities of social identity. Notice how the background figures are blurred, almost ghosts. They seem to represent the societal pressures. Do you feel sympathy for this man? Editor: Yes, I do. It is a poignant representation of social aspirations. Curator: Indeed, Gavarni uses visual symbols to evoke our empathy and understanding of the human condition.