Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide 1820 - 1866

Victor Adam created this lithograph called 'Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide', or 'A scalded cat fears cold water', but we don't know exactly when. The composition implies a specific cultural moment in France, probably in the first half of the 19th century. The central image shows a well-dressed couple startled by a wet dog. The man and woman are recoiling, suggesting that they have been splashed. The artist conveys the idea of a collective experience within the society and the cultural moment: The central scene unfolds on a street with a building marked '113', giving a sense of place and social reference. Adam uses visual codes in the lithograph, such as the fashion of the clothing, to depict the social classes and values of the time, a theme that was very popular in the French press. What was considered humorous or worthy of satire? Archival research into periodicals from the period could help us better understand Adam's work.