L'habitué de la boutique de Félix c. 19th century

Editor: This is "L'habitué de la boutique de Félix" by Honoré Daumier, a 19th-century lithograph print. It's a striking caricature, and what jumps out is how it seems to playfully critique the bourgeois appetite through this rather unflattering portrait. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Well, situated within the socio-political landscape of 19th-century France, this image reveals much about the emerging role of caricature in shaping public opinion and challenging social norms. Daumier, working during a time of significant political upheaval and the rise of the bourgeoisie, often used his art to critique the values and behaviors of this new dominant class. Have you noticed how the text underneath describes Paris as a centre of civilisation but mocks love of 'galette'? Editor: I hadn't made the connection explicitly, but now that you mention it, the figure's almost grotesque enjoyment seems amplified by that contrast! The print appeared as a part of series right? Curator: Exactly! Daumier created this print for "La Caricature," a journal known for its satirical commentary. The periodical challenged the monarchy under Louis-Philippe and then scrutinized the emerging consumer culture. In other words, it was involved in politics of imagery. Editor: So it's not just about poking fun, it's also making a point about society as a whole? Curator: Precisely. Consider how lithography itself democratized image production. How the mass-produced imagery started reflecting anxieties around class and consumption that circulated widely at the time. Does that shift how you read the figure here? Editor: It definitely deepens my understanding. It moves beyond a simple portrait to become a statement about social and political tensions. Curator: And how galleries or museums choose to display or contextualize the image today will inevitably shape our understanding of those same tensions, but in our time. It becomes part of another story! Editor: That's fascinating! I never thought about how even a simple-seeming caricature could be so deeply intertwined with the politics of its time, and the politics of today!