Straatverkopers en bedelaars op de Pont Neuf c. 1810 - 1815

This print, titled "Straatverkopers en bedelaars op de Pont Neuf," presents us with a tableau of street vendors and beggars. The composition is structured by a horizontal division, separating the figures from a neutral background. The characters are delineated with clean lines, their postures and expressions rendered in considerable detail. The artist skillfully uses line and color to differentiate the social strata, contrasting the well-dressed figures on the left with the more humble characters occupying the center and right. The figures are arranged in a manner that recalls a stage set, inviting us to reflect on the social theater unfolding before us. We might consider how the figures in the foreground and background interact, or fail to interact, reflecting contemporary notions of social space. The print offers a study of the human figure as a signifier of social identity, with each character embodying a set of cultural codes and values. In its formal precision and attention to detail, the work encourages a careful reading of its visual elements.