Winter 1735 - 1786

Claude Augustin Duflos le Jeune created this print, called "Winter," sometime in the 18th century. Here we see an allegory of winter through the image of cherubic children huddling around a fire. It is a scene that evokes both warmth and vulnerability. During the 1700s in France, childhood was increasingly idealized. Yet, looking at this image today, we might ask ourselves, who gets to be represented as innocent? Where are the real children, the poor children, laboring through the winter? The image participates in a fantasy of innocence, and we might consider the role of class in who gets to be seen as innocent, and who is forced into labor. "Winter" prompts a deeper look at the societal structures that dictate these representations. The cozy scene evokes a longing for simpler times, even as it reminds us of the complex social realities that shape our perceptions.