Un nouvel anobli
1845
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1845
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This painting shows two men with big noses and fancy clothes. They look funny because of their exaggerated features. The artist made them look this way to comment on the people of his time, specifically the bourgeoisie, and their social status. The men's clothes and faces are exaggerated to show how silly they look when trying to act important. This was a common theme in the art of that time, when artists liked to poke fun at the people in power. You can learn more about this style by looking into the technique: lithography.
