# What Is Known as Vagrancy

[View the canonical artwork record](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/stevens-alfred-r2d01a87303b78d/what-is-known-as-vagrancy-r5b094fedcaace5>)

## Artwork

- Artist: [STEVENS, Alfred](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/stevens-alfred-r2d01a87303b78d>)
- Date: 1851-1900
- Technique: Oil on canvas, 132 x 162 cm

## Commentary

This painting depicts a pitiful scene in a wintry, bleak townscape. A despondent young woman and her two children are being led away by three armed soldiers on charges of vagrancy.. Witnessing the arrest are an elegantly dresses, unashamedly curious woman and a workman, who simply turns away in embarrassment. In the 1860s, Stevens began to enjoy great success as a painter in elegant society and began to distance himself more and more from potentially controversial socio-critical subjects of this nature.

## Related artworks

- [Au Havre](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/stevens-alfred-r2d01a87303b78d/au-havre-r3ef876af3fe77a>)
- [Courage and Cowardice](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/stevens-alfred-r2d01a87303b78d/courage-and-cowardice-rfd093abcb8142a>)
- [Family Scene](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/stevens-alfred-r2d01a87303b78d/family-scene-r4a1aded505ad84>)
- [Pensive](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/stevens-alfred-r2d01a87303b78d/pensive-re6550cc7db75ea>)
- [Pleasant Letter](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/stevens-alfred-r2d01a87303b78d/pleasant-letter-r79ed8c0b5e0600>)
- [Sailboats and Steamships](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/stevens-alfred-r2d01a87303b78d/sailboats-and-steamships-r71a3d5e67f375b>)

## Attribution

[Web Gallery of Art](<https://beta.wga.hu/pages/about>)