Sheet of Sketches: Crowd and Individual Figures n.d.

Antoine Pierre Mongin made this sketch of crowd and individual figures in France sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Mongin's work gives us a glimpse into the artistic practices and social preoccupations of the time. During this period, France was undergoing significant social and political upheaval. The French Revolution, with its emphasis on liberty, equality, and fraternity, profoundly impacted all areas of life, including the arts. We see this played out here, on a single page which pits groups of people against isolated individuals. The relationship between the group and the individual was a major topic of debate. Artists were called upon to represent the new social order and the shifting roles of citizens within it. This sketch, now preserved at the Art Institute of Chicago, reminds us of the importance of understanding art within its specific social and institutional context. Further research into the artist's biography, the cultural milieu of post-revolutionary France, and the archives of the Art Institute would shed even more light on this fascinating work.