"It fits you like a glove!," plate 34 from Types Parisiens 1839

Curator: Here we have Honoré Daumier's 1839 lithograph, plate 34 from *Types Parisiens,* titled "It fits you like a glove!" Editor: Well, right away I notice a rather uncomfortable exchange. There's a stark contrast between the men and what looks to be a strained sales pitch going on. Curator: Indeed. Daumier’s commentary focuses on the Parisian merchant class and its practices, casting a satirical gaze on social interactions in the marketplace. What does the setting itself communicate to you? Editor: I find it confining; all those hats displayed rigidly on shelves in the background seem to box these characters in. You can almost feel the pressure to conform, both in fashion and perhaps social standing. The transaction itself feels very stiff, not at all organic. It points towards a rigid and performative society. Curator: Daumier employs caricature brilliantly here. Notice the exaggerated features—the elongated nose, the slightly gaunt frame of the customer, versus the somewhat oily demeanor of the shopkeeper. How does this emphasis affect our interpretation? Editor: It's a biting critique! Daumier amplifies the perceived dishonesty inherent in commercial relationships. It implicates a power imbalance. One man has to take it, while another needs to manipulate his client to survive. There's not an equality among men being presented here at all. Curator: Right. Daumier, working in a period of vast social change, used his art as a tool to critique the rapidly solidifying bourgeois values and anxieties about class distinctions. The social message feels very potent and relevant still, doesn’t it? Editor: It does. Thinking about capitalism's reliance on the creation of new identities in constant change, there are still modern implications of "fitting" into social ideals. I hadn't realized how deep a little black hat could take me into the current psyche of the world! Curator: Seeing it through the lens of power and image shows how truly timeless art can be. Editor: Agreed. This definitely provides a new understanding to these historical market exchanges.