"When One Is Possessor of One-Hundred Actions . . ." 1840

Editor: So, this is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, called "When One Is Possessor of One-Hundred Actions . . .". It feels so dark, a bit despairing, seeing this man in a tree with a noose. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Indeed. It's a biting commentary on the pitfalls of wealth, or rather, failed wealth. The man contemplates suicide, but Daumier’s work is seldom without a sardonic twist. Notice the text below – a witticism about seeking a tree and a noose. Do you think it's a straightforward endorsement of despair, or something more complex? Editor: I hadn't considered the text as part of the humor. It definitely complicates things. It makes it more satirical. Curator: Precisely! It highlights the absurdity of associating material loss with such extreme actions. So, perhaps we can see that it's less about despair, and more about Daumier's sharp social critique.