You should go into the company, Monsieur! . . . c. 19th century

Curator: Gavarni's lithograph, "You should go into the company, Monsieur! . . .", pulls us right into a fleeting moment of social tension, doesn't it? Editor: It feels heavy, almost claustrophobic. The woman's masked gaze is unnerving, and the man looks genuinely trapped against that balustrade. Curator: Note the stark contrast in textures – her voluminous dress versus his tailored suit, the rough stone against the patterned fabric. Gavarni is highlighting the social dynamics at play and the artifice in social interactions. Editor: The line work is incredible – so expressive, capturing the man’s nervous energy and the woman's stiff posture. It makes me wonder about the power dynamics at play. Curator: Indeed, Gavarni critiqued social norms by depicting these scenes of Parisian life, spotlighting gender roles and class anxieties through the very process of printmaking and mass distribution. Editor: I love that – a biting commentary served up with such elegant lines. It gives you a shiver, doesn't it?