Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College

The Human Comedy: Chronicles of 19th-Century France

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Bachelor Life and Married Life

BACHELOR LIFE AND MARRIED LIFE A ubiquitous plot line in 19th-century French literature involves the arrival in Paris of a wide-eyed young man from the provinces, sent to the capital to pursue a degree in law or medicine. A law degree, in particular, was regarded as a key to social mobility and the springboard to a lucrative career in politics or public service. In Balzac’s Old Goriot (1835), George Sand’s Horace (1841), and Gustave Flaubert’s Sentimental Education (1869), we see pleasure-seeking law students who quickly abandon their studies to live it up on the bohemian Left Bank. The law student lives well beyond his means, pawning family heirlooms to pay for his expensive dandy’s wardrobe, dodging his landlord, and risking debtor’s prison or worse: marriage. The law student’s ambition was to become the lover of a wealthy married woman whose husband would not only tolerate their affair, but even help him make connections and back him financially. This approach often backfires, as we see in Gavarni’s series Husbands Avenged. Gavarni’s husbands and wives regard each other with mutual suspicion. Marriage is depicted as a constant tug-of-war, a state of perpetual tension and potential embarrassments.


  1. Payes-tu cher ...?

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Payes-tu cher à ton hôtel?... (Do you pay a lot at your hotel?...), 1842 Lithograph Gift of E…

  2. J'ai un service à vous demander

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) J'ai un service à te demander, mon bon Joseph... (I have a favor to ask of you, my dear Josep…

  3. Le Jayotype

    Honoré Daumier (French, 1808–1879) Le Jayotype (The Jayotype), 1842 Lithograph General Acquisitions Fund, 1944.189.15 Mr. Jay,…

  4. Une Demande en séparation

    Honoré Daumier (French, 1808–1879) Une Demande en séparation (Suing for Legal Separation), 1845 Lithograph Elisabeth Lotte Fra…

  5. Être victime ...

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Être victime d'un mari qui abuse de votre position... (To be the victim of a husband who takes…

  6. Mr. Frédéric voit arriver ...

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Mr. Frédéric voit arriver un beau matin la femme adorée... (One fine morning, Mr. Frédéric…

  7. Mr. Jules va courir ...

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Mr. Jules va courir tout Paris... (Mr. Jules is going to run all over Paris...), 1838 Lithogra…

  8. C'est bien drôle

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) C'est bien drôle... (It's so strange...), 1842 Lithograph Gift of Eugene L. Garbaty, 1951.79.1…

  9. Refus de l'impôt

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Refus de l'impôt (En ménage) (Dodging the Marriage Tax), 1842 Lithograph Gift of Eugene L. G…

  10. Alcibiade Cliquet

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Alcibiade Cliquet a loué une chambre dans le quartier de la Chaussée d'Antin (Alcibiade Cliqu…

  11. Avoir la colique

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Avoir la colique le jour de ses noces... (Having tummy trouble on your wedding night...), 1838…

  12. La Prison pour dettes

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) La Prison pour dettes (Debtor’s Prison), 1838 Lithograph Gift of Eugene L. Garbaty, 1951.79.1…

  13. J'ai ta lettre

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) J'ai ta lettre cherie, o mon Ernest... (I have your dear letter, oh my Ernest...), 1838 Lithogr…

  14. Conclusion et morale

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Conclusion et Morale (Accusation d'adultère) [Conclusion and Moral (Accusation of Adultery)],…

  15. Attendre que le protecteur soit parti...

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Attendre que le protecteur soit parti... (Waiting for her patron to leave...), 1838 Lithograph…

  16. Rêver qu'on est riche

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Rêver qu'on est riche...(To dream that you are rich...), 1838 Lithograph Gift of Eugene L. Gar…

  17. Mr. Maxime est exposé à la risée des valets

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Mr. Maxime est exposé à la risée des valets... (Mr. Maxime is exposed to the servants’ moc…

  18. Pour justifier sa présence

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Pour justifier sa présence chez la femme d'un dentiste...(To justify his presence at the home…

  19. Vois-tu, camarade

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Vois-tu, camarade, voilà comme tu trouveras toujours les vrais artistes... (You see, friend, t…

  20. Rien n'est plus embarrassant

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Rien n'est plus embarrassant que le premier tête-à-tête... (Nothing is more awkward than tha…

  21. Ne pas trouver de voiture

    Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Ne pas trouver de voiture... (When you can't get a cab...), 1838 Lithograph Gift of Eugene L. G…

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