Man knielt neer voor een vrouw 1843

Paul Gavarni made this lithograph, called ‘Man Kneeling Before a Woman,’ in France in the mid-19th century. It depicts a man on his knees, head tilted upwards, clasping the hands of a woman who looks away from him. The title and associated text point to the ‘eloquence’ of the pose, but what does it really mean? This was a time of strict social codes, and in France, the bourgeois class was expanding. Gavarni's work often satirized the manners of the time, especially courtship. The setting, with its heavy curtain and upholstered furniture, signals wealth. The man’s dramatic posture might seem romantic, yet it also suggests a performance. Is he truly sincere, or merely playing a part to gain social advantage? The woman's averted gaze could indicate modesty or perhaps a critical assessment of the man's display. To fully grasp Gavarni’s intent, we can consult periodicals from the time, along with social histories. What emerges is a picture of an artist critiquing the rituals of love and marriage as performed by the upwardly mobile.