Man rijgt vlees aan het spit tijdens het Fête des Loges

About this artwork

Het 'Fête des Loges' is een feest dat sinds 1652 elk jaar in de zomer plaatsvindt in het bos van Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

Art Historical Context

**Man Rijgt Vlees aan het Spit tijdens het F des Loges** Charles-Abraham Chassel, lithography, in or after 1820 – in or before 183, 213 × 269 mm* This lively lithography by Charles-Abraham Chassat captures a candid moment at the Fête des Loges,'s beloved summer fair held annually since 1652 in the Forest of Saint-Germain-en-L near Paris. The title, translating to "Man Threading Meat on the Spit during the Fête des Loges," depicts a worker preparing roast over an open flame amid the bustling festivities. Chasselat, a skilled French lithographer active in the early 19th century, excelled at documenting everyday joys and popular traditions, bringing the vibrancy of public life to print. Lithography, a revolutionary technique invented just two decades earlier, allowed Chasselat to produce detailed, tonal images affordably from a greasy crayon drawn directly on stone. This medium democratized art, making scenes like this accessible beyond elite circles and preserving ephemeral festival moments for posterity. The print's modest dimensions suggest it was designed for broad distribution, perhaps as a souvenir evoking the fair's merry atmosphere of games, food stalls, and communal revelry. As a snapshot of Romantic-era France, the work highlights the cultural endurance of the Fête des Loges—a tradition blending royal origins with working-class exuberance. Visitors today can still attend this living history, connecting Chasselat's image to its ongoing legacy.