Bazile (Baculard d'Arnaud, The Trials of Emotion vol3) - De Longueil after Eisen

Bazile, a young peasant, has the misfortune to resemble trait for trait the deceased son of the Marquise de Menneval, herself a widow. The family's treacherous governor, Remi, then imagines passing Bazile off as the true heir - whom the world has never seen - in order to claim a rich marriage and secure the Menneval inheritance. The marquise finally gives in, and Rémi sets about training Bazile in the ways of high society, going so far as to convince him to sever all ties with his mother.

The young man soon falls in love with Mademoiselle d'Amerville, who knows nothing of his origins. The marriage is arranged, and Rémi thinks he's close to the goal when, on leaving the château where the festivities are taking place, Bazile spots his mother coming to watch him one last time. Unable to contain his emotion, he rushes over to her, embraces her and publicly reveals his true identity, much to the astonishment of the gathering.

The engraving captures this moment that turns Remi's plan on its head. To the left, Bazile, elegantly dressed, embraces his mother who has remained in peasant clothes, while Remi vainly tries to hold him back. In the center, the Marquise de Menneval watches in amazement. On the right, Mademoiselle d'Amerville faints when she discovers that her fiancé is a simple peasant. In the background, the church where the religious ceremony was to take place is visible.