"Missus Bonneau...I love Missus Bonneau myself!" 1838

Curator: Daumier's lithograph, "Missus Bonneau...I love Missus Bonneau myself!" presents a rather intense exchange, wouldn't you say? The piece resides in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Intense indeed! The stark contrast of light and shadow immediately pulls you in, focusing on the raw emotion etched on their faces. Curator: Daumier often used his art to comment on the social dynamics of 19th-century France. This particular piece is thought to satirize the bourgeoisie. The exaggerated features... Editor: Precisely! Those almost caricatured expressions, the furrowed brows, the flared nostrils—they amplify the underlying tension and possibly the absurdity of the situation. Curator: His work often appeared in "Le Charivari," a satirical journal that pushed the boundaries of acceptable political commentary. Daumier's images became vital documents of his time. Editor: It's interesting how Daumier achieves so much with so little, simply through line and tone. Curator: Absolutely. It is social commentary, formally rendered with incredible deftness. Editor: A masterclass in expression, even now!