Vrouw slapend bij een ton met wijnglas in de hand 1758

Jean Daullé created this print, "Vrouw slapend bij een ton met wijnglas in de hand," sometime before his death in 1763. It depicts a scene of boisterous humor, rooted in the visual culture of 18th-century France. The title, which translates to "A Woman Sleeping by a Barrel with Wine Glass in Hand," sets the stage for the unfolding drama. We see a woman in deep slumber, having clearly enjoyed the contents of her glass a little too much, as two figures prepare to pour a bottle into her mouth. Made during the Enlightenment, the print reflects a tension between rational thought and the pleasures of everyday life. The scene’s exaggerated gestures and comical expressions also offer a critique of social norms around class and gender. Art historians look at the subject, style, and production methods of works like these to understand them better, using archival research and comparing the imagery with those of other popular images of the time. Understanding this context helps us understand the ways that art can reflect and comment on the society in which it was made.