Un monsieur en bonne fortune aux Champs-Elysées c. 19th century

Curator: Honoré Daumier's lithograph, "Un monsieur en bonne fortune aux Champs-Élysées," from around the 19th century, depicts a dapper gentleman searching for something amongst a forest of numbered trees. It’s classic Daumier: ink on paper, capturing a scene from Parisian life. Editor: The immediate feel is like a lost dream, or perhaps a coded message. It has a sort of satirical, melancholy quality. The man seems utterly absorbed, even amidst the potential grandeur of the Champs-Élysées. Is he even seeing the bigger picture? Curator: Precisely! Daumier, known for his social critiques, often poked fun at the bourgeoisie. Here, he's likely commenting on their obsessions and the absurdities of modern urban life. The "fortune" might be less about money and more about a futile quest for social status, lost amidst the "numbered" chaos of progress. Editor: I see that. The trees almost feel like lottery numbers themselves. And that very distinctive exaggerated silhouette; the top hat and the slightly ridiculous gait are the very definition of how wealth changes the ways in which you act and are perceived by others. How does this drawing reflect his broader political views? Curator: Daumier was a fierce Republican and regularly lampooned political figures and social injustices in publications like "Le Charivari." He was even imprisoned for some of his caricatures! This work reflects that spirit, though more subtly. It showcases the alienation and even dehumanization inherent in the pursuit of fortune. He brilliantly uses comic figures to expose social tensions. Editor: And the numbering of the trees – is that a literal reference, or something more metaphorical? It feels so detached, the antithesis of nature, especially alongside his elegant garb. The man's quest seems more pathetic than aspirational. Curator: A little of both. During Haussmann’s renovation of Paris, even the trees on the Champs-Élysées were numbered for administrative purposes. Daumier amplifies that, creating a scene where even nature is reduced to a statistic, reflecting the encroaching industrial order and the control over the very air. Editor: It's quite chilling, in a whimsical way. Daumier always has the capability of producing works that invite a deeper, if slightly unsettling reflection. It makes you think about how we try to find meaning and, well, fortune, in increasingly impersonal environments. Curator: Absolutely. "Un monsieur en bonne fortune" holds up a mirror to our own obsessions and points to our very human desire for some way to get control in an evolving world. Editor: It is true. In essence, the illustration reminds us that not all fortunes can be numbered, calculated, or bought, no matter how determined we are.