Oude man, met stok, bontmuts en mantel in een winterlandschap 1744 - 1797

This print, made by Jean Charles Le Vasseur, shows an old man struggling through a winter landscape; it was produced in France during the late 18th or early 19th century. The image and caption, “Le Frilleux,” – roughly translated as “the shivering man” – suggest a commentary on social vulnerability. France at this time was a society of stark inequality; the image speaks to the hardships faced by the elderly and impoverished. The bundled figure set against the bleak landscape creates a powerful statement about the human cost of social and economic disparity. It might be seen as a subtle critique of the opulence and indifference of the aristocracy. Historical analysis reveals much about such a work. By studying economic conditions, social structures, and institutional frameworks of the period, we can understand the print as both a reflection of, and potential commentary on, the society from which it emerged.