Jonge vrouw met bon bij een woekeraar 1838

Paul Gavarni made this print called "Young Woman with a Note at a Pawnbroker's" using lithography. This was a period in France of rapid social and economic change, so, of course, we can assume some commentary about that context. The print shows a woman in fancy dress, presumably a courtesan, pawning items to a man in a dressing gown. In nineteenth-century France, financial instability was rampant, especially among those who sought pleasure in the big city. Gavarni highlights the hypocrisy of a society where appearances mattered more than financial stability. The narrative touches on themes of social commentary, class, and gender roles within the urban environment of Paris. Gavarni was known for his caricatures of Parisian life, especially for highlighting the lives of the poor. For more on the economics of the art market, see the archives of Parisian newspapers. For more on courtesans in the 19th century, see biographies and memoirs of the period. These resources help us understand how an artwork engages with the issues of its time.