This Mr. Ernest is handsome enough . . . c. 19th century

Curator: Oh, this print by Paul Gavarni. It’s titled "This Mr. Ernest is handsome enough . . .". Editor: There's something amusingly awkward about it. She's so upright and demure, and he's all languid, sprawled on that couch. Curator: Gavarni captured so much about social posing, don’t you think? The woman’s stature, and the man’s… affectation. Editor: Absolutely! The way he's tugging at his vest, like he's both bored and trying to be interesting...it speaks volumes! The contrast between them is so stark. Curator: It’s almost a cliché, isn’t it? The performance of masculinity, next to… the expected femininity. Editor: Exactly! And the title just twists the knife. It's a delicious little peek into social mores. Curator: Yes, it makes me wonder about their dynamic, what's unspoken between them. Editor: And perhaps, what’s about to be!