Figuren op de bevroren rivier de Seine 1761 - 1762

Franz Edmund Weirotter created this etching, Figuren op de bevroren rivier de Seine, depicting figures on the frozen River Seine in the 18th century. Weirotter captures a bustling winter scene in Paris where the frozen river becomes a temporary stage for all kinds of activity. The etching reveals a society where class distinctions are ever present. We see figures from different social strata coexisting, some working and some at leisure. The frozen river becomes a place where these boundaries are blurred, if only for a moment. The artist lived during the Enlightenment, a period that challenged existing social hierarchies. Weirotter does not overtly critique the social order; instead, he presents us with a detailed snapshot of Parisian life, full of people interacting with one another. The artist invites us to reflect on the complexities of urban life and the ways in which social roles are both performed and disrupted.