A Galant Beginning 1844

Editor: This is Honoré Daumier's "A Galant Beginning". It's a lithograph, and the exaggeration in the figures is striking. What social commentary is Daumier making here? Curator: Daumier used caricature to critique social norms and political figures in 19th-century France. The "galant beginning" ironically depicts the power dynamics between social classes, showing a somewhat awkward, potentially exploitative interaction. What does the inscription at the bottom say? Editor: It appears to be a dialogue. The woman is saying "Enough!" and the boy says, "I'm going to kiss her hand." Curator: The artwork invites us to consider how the performative nature of courtship, often seen as harmless, can mask underlying inequalities and questionable intentions, made visible through Daumier's artistic skill. It makes you wonder who is seducing whom.