Le perroquet de M. Guizot
1851
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1851
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
You see a crowd gathered around a parrot on a stand. The parrot has a human-like face, which is interesting. The scene shows people reacting with surprise and excitement, which suggests the artist is commenting on authority and power. The parrot's position above the crowd is meant to show superiority. This was a way for the artist to make a point about those in power. To learn more about this style of commentary, look into the technique: lithography.
