Illustration for magazine 'Die Gartenlaube' 1892

This is Franz von Stuck's illustration for 'Die Gartenlaube' magazine, made in Germany at the end of the 19th century. The magazine was one of the first mass-market publications, reaching a wide middle-class audience with a mix of entertainment, education, and cultural commentary. Stuck’s drawing, titled 'Prince Carnival', presents a complex, ambivalent representation of festivity. There is a tension between the aristocratic figure of the Prince, who exudes a certain coldness, and the unruly, infantile figures that surround him. These figures, seemingly propelled by a champagne bottle, playfully mock traditional authority and social norms. Carnival, historically a time of social upheaval, becomes a moment where the established order is parodied, even infantilized. Von Stuck captures the psychological complexities of revelry, its blend of liberation and underlying social critique. The image ultimately captures the ambivalent nature of celebration, suggesting both its pleasures and its potential for social commentary.