Le Cocu battu et content, from Contes et nouvelles en vers par Jean de La Fontaine. A Paris, de l'imprimerie de P. Didot, l'an III de la République, 1795 1795

Jean-Louis Delignon created this print titled 'Le Cocu battu et content' in Paris, around 1795. The composition immediately draws us into a scene of domestic intrigue, rendered with delicate lines and a sophisticated use of light and shadow. Delignon masterfully uses hatching and cross-hatching to define the textures and forms, from the opulent fabrics to the smooth skin of the figures. The arrangement of the characters, caught in a moment of surprise and discovery, hints at the theatricality of 18th-century social life. The spatial organization, with the hidden observer peering from behind the screen, introduces an element of voyeurism. This work, created during the French Revolution, engages with themes of social roles, appearances and private lives. Delignon, through his formal choices, invites us to decode the layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly simple domestic scene. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t just reflect reality but also actively shapes our understanding of it.