Wallachian Round, Performed by the Tsiganes and Danced by the Second Regiment Musicians at the Home of Prince Ghika, Ghospodar, Wallachia 1839

Auguste Raffet made this lithograph depicting a social gathering in Wallachia, now part of Romania, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. It captures a cultural moment, but also raises questions about the representation of social classes and ethnic groups. We see musicians, identified as Tsiganes, or Roma people, providing music for a round dance performed by members of the Second Regiment, at the home of Prince Ghika. The image offers insight into the social hierarchies of the time, with the Roma musicians serving an elite gathering. It prompts us to consider the role of art in either reinforcing or challenging such social divisions. Raffet was a well-regarded military artist. Was he documenting or celebrating such social dynamics? To fully understand this image, we might research the history of Wallachia, the status of Roma people in that society, and the role of the military. The archives of the Ghika family might also shed light on the social and political context of this gathering. Art history is often detective work, piecing together fragments of the past to understand the complex relationships between art and society.