Chap. V: C'est une femme honnête (She is an honest woman) 1824

Victor Adam created this lithograph in France in the early 19th century. In the image, a well-dressed couple strolls arm in arm, and the inscription pointedly declares, "She is an honest woman." But what does it mean to insist on someone's honesty? The question invites us to consider the social anxieties around class, gender and morality in post-revolutionary France. The woman's fashionable attire speaks of bourgeois aspirations, while the man's formal suit suggests a desire for upward mobility. Their body language and carefully chosen outfits project an image of respectability, perhaps as a defense against social criticism. As historians, we can delve deeper by exploring fashion trends, social etiquette manuals, and literary works of the period to understand how this image engages with the codes and conventions of its time. Ultimately, this lithograph serves as a fascinating window into the social and cultural landscape of 19th-century France, where appearances and assertions of virtue held significant weight.