Back View of a Roman Servant Boy

François André Vincent French

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François André Vincent was a successful portraitist and history painter at the end of the eighteenth century. During his fellowship at the French Academy in Rome between 1771 and 1775, he also made a great number of caricatures. Here, Mansueto, the young servant of the painter Anicet-Charles-Gabriel Lemonnier—who owned the drawing—is the subject of Vincent’s wit. By showing the boy from the back, standing with his hands on his hips, the artist captures his determination and vigor. Whereas the offspring of wealthy families were typically well-educated and took part in a variety of pleasant pursuits, the life of a child born to the working classes was quite different. It was not until 1874 that child labor laws were enacted in France to protect children under twelve years old.

Back View of a Roman Servant Boy, François André Vincent (French, Paris 1746–1816 Paris), Black chalk

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Back View of a Roman Servant Boy, François André Vincent (French, Paris 1746–1816 Paris), Black chalk
Back View of a Roman Servant Boy, François André Vincent (French, Paris 1746–1816 Paris), Black chalk

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