Kindergevecht bij raam

Camille-Joseph-Etienne Roqueplan made this print, called Kindergevecht bij raam, in the 19th century. The print depicts a tussle between children, but I think it’s important to ask what this seemingly innocent image tells us about France at this time. The artist may be making a subtle comment on social mobility. Here we see children literally scaling a wall to gain access to a building, perhaps a metaphor for the ambitions of the middle classes. Roqueplan probably worked in Paris. The concentration of academies and salons there would have a big impact on his approach to art. We can delve further into the history of nineteenth-century France to find similar commentary in literature and other art forms. Understanding art requires us to be social detectives!