The New Neapolitan Buffoon. “- Polichinelle, Polichinelle, you have cudgelled the others long enough... now it's your turn. We will bring you to reason...,” plate 221 from Actualités 1855

Curator: Daumier's lithograph from 1855, "The New Neapolitan Buffoon," which appeared as plate 221 in "Actualités," presents a scene ripe with socio-political commentary. We see the traditional figure of Polichinelle, about to be "brought to reason" by another figure, while others lay collapsed nearby. Editor: Oof, "brought to reason." It looks more like clobbered into submission! There's something so bleak about the scratchy, almost frantic lines. That one character raising a cudgel and sporting a menacing grin – not someone I’d want to meet in a dark alley, or a well-lit gallery for that matter. Curator: Indeed, Daumier often employed caricature to critique the bourgeoisie and political figures of his time. The Polichinelle character, traditionally a buffoon, is here potentially symbolic of a specific political leader facing opposition. Considering the historical context of France in the mid-19th century, this likely reflects anxieties surrounding power, authority, and control. Editor: Right! It's not just a silly cartoon; it’s a concentrated dose of social rage! I feel the frustration and anger in every frenzied stroke. That precarious balance of the fallen characters at the bottom juxtaposed with the determined character adds to the unsettled energy that surges out of this thing. It's as though Daumier took all the bitterness of the time and jammed it onto this small sheet of paper. Curator: Absolutely, and the inscription below really drives that home. “Polichinelle, Polichinelle, you have cudgelled the others long enough... now it's your turn.” It frames the print within a broader narrative of political reckoning, hinting at a desire for change. The lithographic medium itself facilitates mass dissemination, ensuring the message would reach a broad audience and potentially spark further dialogue and debate. Editor: Makes you wonder who "the others" are and how many times this poor Polichinelle got away with cudgelling them. Seriously dark stuff, cloaked in the guise of a playful scene. It’s both appalling and strangely compelling. Art as a wake-up call – or maybe a blunt instrument? Curator: It is compelling. Daumier gives us a glimpse into the heart of 19th century France’s anxieties. Editor: I know. Makes you think about the clowns in charge today, doesn't it? Some things never change… except the haircuts, maybe.