Soldaat en biddende oude vrouw met kind 1836

This print was made by Nicolas Toussaint Charlet. Consider the implications of how Charlet represents French society at a time when it was undergoing significant social upheaval. In the image, a soldier confronts a praying old woman and child, presumably veterans of war. The image challenges the social norms of the time by portraying sympathy for the vulnerable and questioning the glorification of military might. Charlet was a student of Gros, which might have influenced his interest in Napoleonic imagery. It invites us to reflect on the social and political context in which it was produced. To understand this print better, one can examine the historical context of 19th-century France, researching the Napoleonic era and the social impact of war on civilians. By delving into these resources, we gain a richer understanding of art as a reflection of its time.