N’enviez rien, lui a dit son marie…il y a long-tems que nous sommes tous vos sujets c. 18th century

Editor: This print by Jean Baptiste Michel Dupréel shows a gathering of people in what looks like a well-appointed room. There's a sense of formality, but also intimacy. What can you tell me about the social context of this scene? Curator: The inscription "N'enviez rien, lui a dit son mari… il y a long-tems que nous sommes tous vos sujets" suggests a commentary on power dynamics and social hierarchy. Consider how the artist positions the figures – who holds the gaze, whose actions seem performative? Editor: So, it's not just a snapshot of a social gathering, but a critique of the existing social structure. Curator: Exactly! Dupréel uses this intimate setting to explore broader issues of subjugation and perhaps even complicity within the aristocracy. What do you make of the women and their engagements? Editor: I see them now as props for an old conversation, not the focus. I hadn't considered the power dynamic before. Thanks! Curator: It's in these nuances that the real conversation about gender, class, and power begins.