Reproductie van La cinquantaine door Herman Maurice Cossmann before 1877

Charles Michelez made this reproduction of Herman Maurice Cossmann's 'La cinquantaine'. This piece offers a window into the rituals and representations of class and gender in 19th-century French society. The scene depicts a well-to-do family celebrating a fiftieth birthday, a milestone traditionally associated with maturity and respect within patriarchal structures. The men in the scene, marked by their clothing and posture, assert a visual dominance, reflective of the period's gendered social hierarchies. In contrast, the women are adorned and arranged to signify their roles within the domestic sphere. This carefully constructed arrangement underscores the ways in which social roles were performed and reinforced through such gatherings. Note the presence of the young boy, perhaps a subtle nod to the inheritance and continuation of these social structures. Michelez's work encourages us to consider how such celebratory moments also served to perpetuate specific cultural values and power dynamics, subtly embedding them within the fabric of everyday life.