"Ce qui se fait dans les meilleures societes"

Executed in lithography, the work relies on swift, sketch‑like lines that convey movement and atmosphere rather than precise detail. This loose handling aligns with Romantic‑era interests in everyday scenes rendered with a dramatic, emotive touch.

Created by the French illustrator Paul Gavarni—born Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier in Paris in 1804—the lithograph forms part of his extensive series documenting 19th‑century French social life. It was produced during a prolific period when Gavarni supplied illustrations to newspapers and albums that circulated widely among the literate public.

The print emerges from a broader cultural moment in which Parisian artists and writers turned their attention to the customs of the bourgeoisie, often employing humor and irony. Lithography, a relatively inexpensive medium, allowed such observations to reach a broad audience beyond elite patrons.