Un cours de morale moderne c. 19th century

Curator: I'm immediately struck by the contrast of this image: the seated man is drawn with heavy, almost brutal lines, dominating the space, while the standing boy is rendered with finer, delicate strokes, making him appear almost ethereal. Editor: This is "Un cours de morale moderne," or "A Modern Morality Lesson," a lithograph created by Honoré Daumier in the 19th century. Curator: Lithography – an interesting choice. The texture of the stone would’ve allowed Daumier to achieve those nuanced shades and textures. You can really feel the pressure he applied to create the stark darks and lights. How was this kind of material important? Editor: Consider that lithography was, in Daumier’s time, a very accessible and reproducible medium. These prints would have circulated widely, bringing social commentary to a broader audience than painting ever could. The cheapness and reproducibility enabled criticism of power structures. Curator: Absolutely, it aligns perfectly with the message being conveyed. The corpulent man in his comfortable chair, a symbol of authority and perhaps wealth, is placed in direct opposition to the boy. Notice the exaggerated features? The bulbous nose, the oversized glasses perched precariously... it's classic Daumier caricature, instantly imbuing him with comedic disapproval. Editor: The boy is no less striking. He has that wide-eyed innocent posture, reflecting how quickly and easily childhood virtues can be squashed, changed by someone older and much more in control of both finance and "wisdom". Curator: It makes you wonder about the power of imagery. Daumier understood how to utilize visual symbols, like the heavy armchair itself, to comment on the morality of his time. It almost anticipates the role of advertising, where consumer products begin teaching similar modern lessons. Editor: So true, but it is important not to focus just on consumer products. This wasn't mass advertising. It was accessible art intended to be democratic: and a tool for making commentary of this type to regular people through accessible artwork. It's nice that our own technological changes can bring more of these messages through the screen again. Curator: Agreed, Daumier's clever manipulation of medium and symbol provides us so much context about this modern moral quagmire. Editor: Yes, and the way he utilizes established visual tropes allows a modern audience a sense of his time too.