Les Contretems, Janvier 1824 : Je sens que ma visit (...) 1824

Charles Villain created this hand-colored etching entitled, “Les Contretemps, Janvier 1824,” meaning, roughly, “mishaps.” Drawn during the Bourbon Restoration in France, this print is both a comment on society and an institutional critique of artistic trends. The image depicts a domestic scene where a man sits uncomfortably near a woman. The caption implies that the man feels unwelcome and doesn't know how to take his leave. Is this awkwardness a comment on the rigid social structures of the time, perhaps a critique of the restored aristocracy's stuffy etiquette? Or is it a statement on the social expectations placed on men and women during courtship? Prints like this were immensely popular at the time, offering social commentary through humor. They also implicitly critique the official art institutions, such as the Salon, which favored grand historical paintings over these intimate glimpses into contemporary life. To better understand the social nuances depicted here, one might delve into etiquette manuals, fashion plates, and popular literature from the period. Villain’s print reminds us that art is always embedded in a specific social and institutional context.