Man with a Pipe c. 19th century

André Devambez created this painting, Man with a Pipe, in France at the turn of the 20th century. It is painted with oil on cardboard. The image depicts a man with a pipe sitting at a table. It's tempting to read this as a scene from the Paris cafés of the era, a slice of ‘la vie moderne.’ But consider the social status suggested by the pipe and top hat. This man isn't laboring for a wage; he has the leisure to smoke and reflect. The painting embodies the comfortable lifestyle enjoyed by members of France’s upper class during La Belle Époque. To fully appreciate this painting, research into Parisian café culture and the French class system of the time would be invaluable. Art is contingent on the culture and time in which it was made. Only through historical context can we truly understand its meaning.