The Ingrate 1832

Auguste Raffet created this lithograph titled 'The Ingrate'. Raffet was deeply influenced by the social and political upheavals of 19th-century France, particularly the Napoleonic era and its aftermath. The artwork invites us to reflect on the rigid social hierarchies of 19th-century France, and how these power dynamics were experienced in everyday settings like the church. The title, 'The Ingrate,' suggests a narrative of social expectation and perhaps disappointment. What does it mean for the woman to be labeled an ingrate? Is she ungrateful to the church, to society, or perhaps to the expectations placed upon her as a woman and mother? The composition directs our gaze to the foregrounded woman and child, who appear distinct from the blurred figures attending the church service. The artist develops alternative narratives around social identity and the emotional landscape of motherhood within a society undergoing rapid change. This artwork pushes us to think about how societal expectations and judgments can affect individual lives, and the quiet rebellions against the norm.