Petit Galerie Dramatique, 1805, No. 14: Talon, dans Furet (...) 1805

This hand-colored engraving, titled "Talon, dans Furet, de la Fausse Marquise," was made in 1805 by an anonymous artist. It portrays a man holding a ferret in his hand. He appears to be a hunter, with a rifle and dead game. Made during a period of social upheaval following the French Revolution, this image offers insights into the era's shifting class dynamics. It invites us to consider the artist's social commentary on identity and gender, which we can start to untangle through the title and inscription. The inscription references class, "Quand je dis que je les manque... non je les manque, a ce que dit le beau pere" (When I say that I miss them... no I don't miss them, according to the father-in-law). The word 'manque' can be understood in several ways. Does Talon not miss the hunt, or perhaps the 'Fausse Marquise' (false marquise) mentioned in the title? And who is the man in this image? Is he a hunter or something else? These subtle hints suggest alternative interpretations of the period's social and gender norms.