House of Cards
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 42.1 × 57.1 cm · platemark: 27.5 × 31.1 cm
Classification
Department
Prints
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1995.265
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
male
About this artwork
Chardin's (1699-1779) quiet picture of a boy studiously balancing cards is one of several paintings in which he depicted children or adolescents absorbed in thoughtful play or study. The rhyme at the bottom of the print comments on the resemblance between childhood and adult realms: You are wrong to make fun of this adolescent And of his useless amusement Ready at first breeze to capsize We are bored even at the age we should be wise Out of our brains there often blow The most ridiculous château...