Morphinomanes ou le Plumet

Albert Besnard depicts the darker side of society in this image of two morphine users engaged in their addiction. The unflinching gaze of the woman on the left emphasizes this invasion of the private sphere, making viewers acutely aware that they have trespassed on an illicit moment. Because images of social ills were considered taboo, collectors of this print would have most likely placed it in a drawer or other hidden space, to be brought out for view only in private moments. Besnard creates an elegant aura around the two women that is at odds with their addiction. There is the suggestion of an altered state, perhaps even a hint of eroticism, as hair and smoke blur together to create a fluid and indeterminate form.