Vrouw bekijkt een draperie van kasjmier op een gekostumeerd bal 1853

Curator: Before us we have “Woman Inspecting a Cashmere Shawl at a Costume Ball,” a lithograph from 1853 by Paul Gavarni, here on display at the Rijksmuseum. It offers us a glimpse into the social rituals of mid-19th century France. Editor: The first impression is almost one of…boredom? The woman's downward gaze, the slightly disdainful expression on the man's face – there's a sense of detached observation, a lack of genuine excitement despite the opulent setting implied. Curator: It’s a keen observation, fitting into Gavarni's wider social commentary. His work often satirized Parisian life. This print, one in a series on costume balls, can be seen to subtly critique the consumerism and performance of social status within that culture. Costume balls offered an environment to examine how people represented and negotiated identity. Editor: Absolutely. Cashmere shawls in particular, as signifiers of wealth and exoticism. They appear frequently in paintings from this era, draped across shoulders, furniture, imbued with meaning. Here, the way the woman studies the fabric, almost clinically, robs the object of its romance. It’s become an object of analysis, and possibly, anxiety. Curator: And think about lithography as a medium. It allowed Gavarni to reproduce images widely and relatively cheaply, thereby circulating these observations among a broad audience. This very piece offers commentary on the growing middle class's imitation of aristocratic fashion, yet makes that social theater available for popular consumption and critique. Editor: The figures themselves seem archetypal. The woman embodying bourgeois prudence, the man – perhaps a dandy – oozing aristocratic ennui. The contrast in their body language reinforces this tension between aspiring and established social strata, using their attire as outward symbols. Curator: Indeed. Gavarni presents not just a portrait of two people at a ball, but a snapshot of the anxieties, the performances, and the economics of 19th-century French society, captured through this single transaction of fabric and observation. It's a testament to the complex interplay of art and social life. Editor: A world carefully constructed through dress and material, then cleverly deconstructed by Gavarni’s insightful social analysis. A lasting mirror reflecting society’s anxieties.