"Come on, up! Are we there?" 1843

Curator: We're looking at a print by Honoré Daumier titled "Come on, up! Are we there?", housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The raw, scratchy energy is palpable. It feels like a frozen scream, capturing a truly unpleasant awakening. Curator: Note how the heavy, dark lines of the background press in on the figures, creating a sense of confinement. The composition forces the viewer into the claustrophobia of the scene. Editor: Exactly! You can almost feel the grit of the early morning and the subject's mounting irritation. It's misery rendered in monochrome, but with a dash of dark humor, of course. Curator: Indeed, the artist's calculated use of light and shadow only amplifies the stark reality of the daily grind. Editor: Daumier pulls no punches, depicting life's little agonies with such brutal honesty. His work makes one grateful for a leisurely morning.