Interieur met twee mannen en twee vrouwen bij een walmende pot c. 1730 - 1778

Charles Dominique Joseph Eisen made this drawing, "Interior with two men and two women by a smoking pot," using graphite, sometime in the 18th century. We see a domestic scene, likely of middle-class origins, centered around a curious object: a smoking pot. The wispy lines and billowing smoke imbue the scene with a sense of mystery and intrigue, but also a strange kind of theatricality. Made in France, it reflects the era’s fascination with both scientific exploration and the occult, revealing a society on the cusp of modernity. What are they cooking up? Eisen was part of the French Rococo movement, known for its elegant, ornate style and emphasis on leisure and pleasure. His art often captured intimate, everyday moments. But here he also seems to be subtly critiquing the social mores of his time, portraying a society absorbed in the frivolous, and the uncertain. Art historians can use inventories, letters, and even scientific records to decode the full meaning of this drawing. Eisen’s work invites us to question the values and priorities of 18th-century French society.