"They turned down this of mine...the ignoramuses!!..." 1859

Curator: This lithograph by Honoré Daumier is titled "They turned down this of mine...the ignoramuses!!...". It gives us a window into the art world of 19th-century France. Editor: It's got this raw, immediate energy! You can almost feel the artist's frustration oozing out of that scratchy line work. Curator: Daumier often critiqued the bourgeoisie and the art establishment. The rejected artist holding his work, a still life of a candle, makes a bold statement about taste and power. Editor: That poor candle! It's so solitary, a little beacon against the closed minds of the art world. It's kind of heartbreaking, actually. Curator: Exactly, and his work underscores the complex interplay between artists, institutions, and the public. Editor: Makes you wonder what masterpieces are languishing in attics because some "expert" didn't get it. Food for thought!