Les musards de la rue de Coq. No. 124 c. 1800

This hand-colored etching attributed to Jean François Bosio shows a crowd gathered outside a bookshop, probably made in France sometime around the turn of the 19th century. The image depicts a Parisian street scene, with a crowd of fashionable people milling about outside "Martinet Libraire," a bookshop. The title, "Les musards de la rue du Coq," translates to "The Loafers of Coq Street," suggesting a commentary on the idle curiosity and social dynamics of the time. The figures, with their exaggerated costumes and poses, conform to a well-established satirical tradition. As historians of art, we can research details about the Parisian book trade. We might also investigate French caricature in the years following the Revolution, as a means of understanding this print in its proper social and institutional context. Understanding the conditions of its production allows us to interpret the political significance of this seemingly simple street scene.