Bekken met twee jongetjes c. 1870 - 1894

Gustave Joseph Chéret sketched this ‘Basin with Two Boys’ using graphite, at an unknown date. Cheret's work emerged in a historical context marked by significant shifts in French society and culture, especially regarding gender roles and public life. Here, Chéret is playing with the traditional iconography of the putto and the bearded male figure. Instead of simply replicating historical motifs, Chéret reframes these figures in a way that destabilizes traditional gender roles, reflective of the evolving societal norms of his time. While the putti add a playful, innocent dimension to the piece, the bearded male figure introduces a sense of patriarchal authority. The tension between these figures invites us to consider the changing dynamics of power and representation in the 19th century. The piece presents a world of symbolic and emotional complexity, which is reflective of France's fluid societal changes and the move towards alternative narratives.