Jonge vrouw traint haar schoothond 1855 - 1858

Émile Lassalle created this print titled "Young Woman Training Her Lapdog." The print immediately strikes us with its subtle gradations of color and softly modeled forms. Lassalle masterfully uses lithography to render the delicate textures of the woman’s dress, the dog's fur, and the lace of her cap. The composition is tightly cropped, focusing our attention on the intimate interaction between the woman and her pet. The gentle curve of her neck echoes the curve of the dog's body, creating a harmonious visual rhythm. What interests me is how this image engages with broader cultural codes of its time. The woman's pose and attire suggest an ideal of domesticity and refined leisure, reflecting bourgeois values of the 19th century. The lapdog itself becomes a signifier of status and femininity. Ultimately, this print functions as both an aesthetic object and a cultural artifact, inviting us to consider how images participate in the construction and circulation of social meanings.