The painting is a satire of decadent french society, and depicts a bare-breasted courtesan driving a carriage pulled by (from left to right) a naked elderly man representing over-indulgence; a troubadour representing youthful love; a young student who is writing, representing the educated nobility insensible to daily life's realities, and an old soldier filled with regret. The old woman sitting at the back of the carriage may symbolize the courtesan's future, while the thorny plants along the road indicate the difficulty of their journey. (see the reference below. ). Object Type: painting. Date: 1873. Dimensions: height: 51.5 in (130.8 cm); width: 75 in (190.5 cm).. Medium: oil on canvas. Collection: Philadelphia Museum of Art. Thomas Couture, The Thorny Path (1873)
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