Billards 1803 - 1815

This color etching called "Billiards" shows a group of men gathered around a billiard table, it was created anonymously. The print provides a window into the social dynamics of its time. Look closely, and you'll notice the distinct class divisions represented by the figures, from their attire to their expressions. While they are all men, the artist draws attention to a variety of reactions as each is facing different circumstances. It may have been that the artist, while unnamed to us, lived within a world where social commentary could be risky, as the artist is not only unnamed, but is depicting elites. Billiards acts as both a mirror reflecting societal norms and a lens through which we can question the accessibility and exclusivity that have shaped our cultural past and present.