Hunting trophy with game birds and artichoke, from "L'Artiste" 1850 - 1900

Charles-Alphonse Deblois created "Hunting trophy with game birds and artichoke" using etching techniques sometime in the 19th century. Still life paintings were traditionally a way for artists to display their technical skill, but in this piece, there are socio-economic dynamics at play. Hunting, particularly of game birds, was often associated with the aristocracy and the upper classes, who had the resources and leisure time for such activities. This etching captures the spoils of the hunt, reinforcing social status through the display of nature subdued. The image is stark, rendered in monochrome, and the hanging birds evoke a sense of vulnerability. Deblois’s piece offers us a glimpse into the values of 19th-century society, where nature was both a source of sustenance and a symbol of power. It asks us to consider our relationship to the natural world and the ways in which we assign value to life.