 Basa rake rokutanga, rakadai sokufananidzira masoja nokuratidzira zviitiko zvomunzanga, rakanga riri rutivi rwomufambiro wemifananidzo uyo wakabuda muBelgium neFrance mumakore iwayo, kureva kuti, social realism. Pakati pa1845 na1857, Stevens akaisa pfungwa dzake paupenyu hwemazuva ose hwakaoma hwaivapo panguva iyoyo. PaParis Salon ya1853, somuenzaniso, akaratidzira vapindi vemitambo vakadhakwa vachidzokera kumusha; paExposition Universelle ya1855, akaita kubudirira kwake ne Ce quon appelle le vagabondage Izvi ndizvo zvavanodaidza kuti Vagrancy; Zvinonzi Vagrancy kana Vavhimi veVincennes Les Chasseurs de Vincennes, nhasi vari muMusée dOrsay, Paris. Mafuta echokwadi akaiswa pakuratidzwa kwa1855 pamwe chete nemimwe mifananidzo mitatu yaStevens: La Sieste, Le Premier jour du dévouement uye La Mendiante. 