Tien mannen kijken naar ingelijste prenten 1834

Charles-Joseph Traviès created this lithograph entitled "Ten Men Looking at Framed Prints." The composition pulls us into a satire through the use of caricatures. Note how the artist arranges the figures in the foreground, their backs turned, almost inviting us to join their observation. The figures are comically exaggerated, almost grotesque portraits hanging on the wall. The artist creates a clear distinction between the viewers and the viewed, questioning notions of perception and representation. This work challenges fixed meanings by exaggerating physical traits and social types. Through these exaggerations, Traviès engages with complex themes of identity, class, and the politics of seeing. Observe how Traviès uses caricature not merely as a tool for humor, but as a powerful means of critiquing social norms and power structures, encouraging us to question what and how we see.