The arrogant looking man posed on the street is a muscadin, the name given to supporters of the Monarchy whose fortunes rose with the defeat of Napoleon I and the subsequent return of royal rule to France in 1815. Known for their foppish dress and use of musk as a perfume, the muscadins became subjects of ridicule later in the century. Gérôme, a staunch supporter of the academic tradition, emphasized the role of drawing in creating a work of art. He also favored smooth surfaces, suppressing evidence of brushstrokes, and recording the various elements of his compositions in almost photographic detail. Gérôme is remembered for his masterly narrative works, many dealing with Orientalist themes, and for his violent opposition to Impressionism. It has been said of Gérôme that he saw the picture finished before he touched his canvas. This provision is a rare and precious gift; it sometimes inspires the artist with too much confidence; it often excludes the benefits of reflection and of feeling the way; but it assures the work and lends to the hand a security which fears not the treasons of retouching. –Charles Timbal, Gazette des Beaux-Arts, October 1876