Portret van Adrien Marie before 1881

Ferdinand Mulnier made this portrait of Adrien Marie in the late 19th century. The subject, Adrien Marie, is framed by vignettes of contemporary life and leisure, and the work gives us a glimpse into the cultural values of the time. The image is composed of scenes depicting a Japanese geisha, a Venetian canal, and a mother and child. In the background, we see stacks of magazines, symbolizing the rise of mass media and a growing interest in visual culture. This suggests a society that values art, travel, and exoticism. Art historians might look to period literature and media to better understand the social values on display in this image, and to find out more about the institutions and industries that supported artists like Mulnier. Analyzing artworks like this helps us to explore the dynamic relationship between art and society in nineteenth-century Europe.