I am the father of Mademoiselle Jolibiais (Pretty-way), p. 19 c. 19th century

Curator: This drawing, held at the Harvard Art Museums, is titled "I am the father of Mademoiselle Jolibiais," a work by Paul Gavarni, dating from the 19th century. What strikes you about it? Editor: He looks a bit like a mischievous scarecrow, doesn't he? There's a slightly unsettling charm to his grin and those wild eyes. I imagine him lurking in a field, whispering secrets to the crows. Curator: Gavarni was a keen observer of Parisian society, and this image likely plays on class tensions and parental anxieties of the time. The figure's dress and demeanor suggests a certain social standing. Editor: Right. And that confident pose – hands on hips! He’s daring you to question him, to question his daughter. What a delicious performance of pride and maybe a little bit of insecurity. Curator: Precisely. Gavarni's work offers a window into the social dynamics and anxieties that defined nineteenth-century France. Editor: It's amazing how much story can be packed into a few lines. I'm left wondering about Mademoiselle Jolibiais herself.