Magdelon en Cathos met Mascarille 1878 - 1879

Jean-Antoine-Valentin Foulquier created this small etching, Magdelon en Cathos met Mascarille, in the 19th century. The work illustrates a scene from Molière’s play, *Les Précieuses Ridicules*, a satire of the affectations of young women of the French bourgeois class. Foulquier’s print encapsulates the play's gendered and class-based themes. The “précieuses,” or affected women, Magdelon and Cathos, represent a desire for social elevation through culture and refinement. Molière’s play critiques their pretension, associating their intellectual aspirations with foolishness. They are seen here with the foppish Mascarille who courts the women. In this scene, the women are being mocked for their intellectual aspirations. Through his depiction, Foulquier echoes Molière's critique, reinforcing the societal norms that policed women’s behavior and intellectual expression. The print invites us to consider the complex ways in which gender, class, and culture intersect and shape our perceptions of value and authenticity.