The cicada 1890

Albert Maignan created this oil on canvas painting titled "The Cicada," sometime around the late 19th century. Maignan, living in France during the tumultuous years of the late 1800's, was a part of the academic art world. The painting depicts a young woman, wrapped in a blue shawl, who sits huddled against the cold. In French literature, the cicada often symbolizes carefree living and a lack of foresight, particularly in the well-known fable "The Ant and the Grasshopper," where the cicada sings through summer while the ant prepares for winter. Here, the woman’s gaze and posture evoke feelings of vulnerability and introspection, contrasting with the cicada's typical representation. Given the era and Maignan's background, it's tempting to view this work through the lens of societal expectations placed on women. The woman's pensive expression and the symbolic weight of the cicada invite us to reflect on themes of survival, gendered expectations, and the silent struggles within seemingly simple narratives.