Buste van een jong meisje 1757 - 1793

Louis Marin Bonnet created this print of a young girl, sometime in the late 18th century. In pre-revolution France, the aristocracy occupied a unique social position. They reveled in an elaborate culture of leisure and display, where one’s status was everything. This work offers a window into that world. Bonnet has depicted the girl with an idealized beauty, fashionable hairstyle, and delicate features. But consider that this girl is presented as an object of beauty and status, her identity almost secondary to her appearance. Gender and class norms dictated the roles available to women, limiting their autonomy and self-expression. Bonnet’s print reflects the complex interplay between artistic representation, social identity, and the gaze of the viewer in 18th century France.