The Supper 1787 - 1793

Louis Marin Bonnet created this color etching titled "The Supper," sometime in the late 18th century. Its playful Rococo scene brims with symbolic life. Notice the dog, a motif repeated throughout art history, representing fidelity and domesticity, yet here, lounging carelessly, it hints at a more relaxed, perhaps even decadent, moral atmosphere. The toasting man, glass raised high, echoes similar gestures found in classical bacchanals, celebrations of Dionysus, god of wine, ecstasy, and theatre. This motif resurfaces in numerous guises—from religious communion to secular revelry—each time subtly shifting in meaning, shaped by the cultural currents of its age. It is within our collective memory that we recognize the powerful forces of pleasure and excess, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. This image, while seemingly lighthearted, carries echoes of past celebrations and warnings, a reminder of the cyclical nature of human experience, where symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings.