Promenade c. 1930

Hermine David made this print, titled Promenade, sometime in the first half of the twentieth century. It shows elegantly dressed figures taking their leisure on a tree-lined avenue. The scene suggests a conservative, bourgeois vision of society, one focused on the activities of the well-to-do, and it’s worth noting that David’s artistic formation took place within a milieu that prized traditional craft skills, specifically printmaking. We might consider how David and her contemporaries engaged with the institutions of art, either reinforcing or challenging them through their aesthetic choices. The scene depicted may be anywhere in Europe but is reminiscent of the Italian countryside. The location of the scene is secondary, the goal is to show the leisure activities of the privileged class. The social and institutional context in which art is made greatly affects how it is interpreted. By consulting a wide variety of sources, including period publications and archival materials, we can better understand the significance of art in its own time and for us today.