French Habits, No. 2 - Les Membres du Conseil des Anciens 1798

Curator: At first glance, the composition feels almost absurd, wouldn't you say? Like figures escaped from a particularly stuffy fancy dress party. Editor: Exactly. We're looking at "French Habits, No. 2 - Les Membres du Conseil des Anciens," an etching with coloured pencil by James Gillray, dating to 1798. Curator: The year just after the French Revolution—prime time for a little satirical jab, I'd guess! The frumpy costumes, the odd postures…it’s just begging for a laugh, a chuckle that catches in your throat perhaps. I am pretty certain Gillray aimed to amuse his English audience at the expense of the French leadership. Editor: And indeed, beneath the comical presentation, the work serves as social commentary. The men are adorned in rather elaborate robes—characteristic of members of the Council of Ancients, a legislative body during the Directory phase of the French Revolution. Notice how Gillray distorts the classical lines and symmetry usually associated with Neo-classical artwork? Curator: Totally subverted, yeah. Instead of idealized heroes we get…well, these rather deflated figures. Makes you think about the gap between aspiration and reality, eh? These are hardly the noble lawmakers you would hope for! All that color – the lavender robes, the strange pink details – and that etching must have given a lot of juicy darks. Editor: True, and beyond the comedic critique, it's fascinating how the etching technique highlights details such as fabric textures, creating almost a theatrical effect with shadows. Gillray used this detailed treatment to draw the viewers into a world where power is questioned. Curator: So in a way, while seeming funny it poses real questions about authority, even today, no? To wonder whether those in charge are actually who we’d hoped for… Editor: Yes, his craft transformed social figures into enduring emblems of their time, mirroring today's commentary that asks "who are these people anyway?". The subtle skill that transforms colored pencil sketches and satire on paper to a query of today makes it so provocative, no? Curator: Oh absolutely! You look at it now and you start chuckling... but a few moments later the questions will come to you... Editor: Well put! The work remains delightfully ambivalent and the analysis is not over after we move onto another room!