Slaapkamerscène met Madame Bouvillon en le Destin 1733

Louis Surugue created this print, "Bedroom scene with Madame Bouvillon and le Destin," sometime in the 18th century. It offers a glimpse into the gender and class dynamics of the French Rococo period. The scene depicts a woman, presumably Madame Bouvillon, reclining in bed as a man, perhaps "le Destin," leans over her. The setting—an ornately decorated bedroom—speaks to the wealth and privilege of the aristocracy. Note the detail of the dog eating off the table, and the discarded items of clothing. How might the artist use symbolism to suggest a lack of restraint and decorum? Surugue's print invites us to consider the power dynamics at play, and the roles assigned to men and women within this society. It prompts us to reflect on the emotional and material realities of 18th-century aristocratic life, questioning whose stories are told and whose are left out.