Youth under the clothing of decrepitude (La jeunesse sous les habillements de la décrépitude) 1751

Renée Elizabeth Marlie Lépicié created this print, "Youth under the clothing of decrepitude," sometime in the 18th century. The overall composition is a study in contrasts, presenting youth cloaked in symbols of age. Note how the artist uses the linear quality of the etching to create textures that speak to the theme. The subject’s elaborate dress, while richly detailed, seems to weigh her down, a visual metaphor for the burdens of aging. The walking stick and the enclosed chair further emphasize a sense of confinement and fragility, sharply contrasting with the implied vitality of youth. Lépicié subtly destabilizes conventional representations of age and youth. The title itself suggests a tension between appearance and reality, inviting viewers to question the fixed categories and values we assign to different stages of life. The artwork invites a semiotic reading, where objects and clothing function as signs that complicate our understanding.