Like many artists, Chardin painted the everyday things he saw around him. On seeing the first room of the exhibit, one wonders what People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals will say. There are dead hares, pheasants and fish next to fruit and vessels. But one realizes that there were no supermarkets and prepackaged food then. And he does like animals at least cats.
Several paintings have the household cat on the scene.
One painting shows a cat with his paw possessively on the salmon intended for dinner. The figurative paintings are also windows into that time. They show people from all walks of life. There are paintings of a governess, laundress and draftsman, all engaged at their various jobs. The children have their hair powdered and are playing with cards or a top, or a racquet and shuttlecock.