Kermis in St. Petersburg 1793

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created this print, "Kermis in St. Petersburg", using etching techniques. Chodowiecki, of Polish-Huguenot and German descent, lived during a time of immense social change and cultural exchange in Europe. Here, the kermis or fair, becomes a stage where we see an interplay of social classes. This scene captures a slice of life in 18th-century Russia under the Westernizing influence of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. It reflected a society grappling with its identity. This is seen in the juxtaposition of traditional festivities with the emerging Europeanized city. I wonder if the seemingly mundane depiction of a fair actually held a subtle commentary on power dynamics, the allure and spectacle of the event, and the varied experiences of those present?