Femme de métier (étude de jeune fille appuyée sur une chaise) 1889

Marcellin Desboutin made this print of a young woman, a “femme de métier,” using drypoint, sometime in the late 19th century. The title tells us that this is a study of a working woman. But what kind of work did she do? Her appearance offers us some clues. Her hair is neatly arranged, but not overly styled, and she wears a simple dress with a ribbon at the neck. Desboutin was associated with the Realist movement in France, an artistic movement that sought to depict everyday subjects. This print, with its casual pose and attention to the details of the woman’s clothing, reflects the Realist interest in modern life. However, Desboutin's chosen medium, printmaking, meant the image was more widely available than a painting and could reach a wider audience. In understanding this print, we might consult sources such as 19th-century periodicals, fashion plates, and sociological studies of working-class women in Paris. These sources could shed light on the social and economic realities of the “femme de métier” and on the artist’s response to these realities.