Girl in Front of the Lottery

It is moving to see the young woman looking wide-eyed at the numbers. She has not won and the lottery tickets in her hand are worthless, the money she staked irretrievably lost. Perhaps she will try her luck again in the lottery announced as the “kleiner Spiel für Linz” on the sign. But whatever she decides, we already know the “winner”—and this will be the state. Around 1830, the state raked in almost half of the lottery money. The scene takes place at a “Trafik,” where, in addition to lottery tickets, tobacco products were also sold: pipes and tobacco tins can be seen in the display behind the girl. For all the emotion, perhaps even sympathy, this scene inspires, it is also a warning against the vices of gambling and smoking.

1829

Oil on canvas

63.0 x 50.0cm

2177

Image © Belvedere, Vienna, 2024