Marriage A-la-Mode, Plate VI 1745

Gérard Jean-Baptiste Scotin created this print, “Marriage A-la-Mode, Plate VI”, in the 18th century. The scene is a carefully constructed tableau, dominated by a central group surrounding a collapsed woman. The composition is rich with detail, using line and texture to create a complex visual narrative. The formal arrangement directs our gaze from the chaotic foreground, with its overturned chair and scavenging dog, to the main figures. The lines of the room, the window frame, and the figures themselves create a sense of enclosure. The textures, rendered through meticulous engraving, range from the smooth surfaces of the furniture to the crumpled fabrics of the woman's dress, each contributing to the overall sense of decadence and disorder. This print functions as a critique of societal norms, using its formal structure to highlight themes of moral decay and social satire. The print's enduring power lies in its ability to engage viewers in a dialogue about the complexities of human behavior.