Dandys van de Rue des Lombards c. 1830 - 1870

Curator: Ah, I'm immediately drawn in by the absurdity of this image. It's got such a dark, goofy humor. The elongated noses and wild expressions are almost clownish but with an undercurrent of social critique. Editor: Indeed. We're looking at "Dandys van de Rue des Lombards" by Célestin Nanteuil, likely created between 1830 and 1870. This lithograph print captures the visual style of Romanticism. The lines create caricature, presenting it as genre painting, and clearly meant to be satire. Curator: The figures do seem like working men, dressed in coarse aprons with large cooking vessels, but the title suggests these are 'dandies'. Is it poking fun at those who put on airs, especially working-class men aspiring to something beyond their station? The men look like caricatures themselves, right? The men don't know the rules. Editor: Precisely! Nanteuil frequently examined social classes, observing labor conditions. It is not coincidental that "dandies" who worked this hard for their wages looked down on physical labor even though they had done the most. The printmaking process allows for mass reproduction. This artwork had reach, sparking debate about production and the working man. Curator: It reminds me of theatre—these working men perform in their trades. Are they meant to represent actual "tradesmen"? I see the way the image treats the labor force as commodities too! Editor: That reading aligns beautifully with what many art historians and I would want the audiences to walk away from an understanding about the artist's work! It helps challenge these very long-held societal assumptions. Curator: Looking at it this way makes the artwork much more fun than when I initially assessed it, actually. Editor: Well, seeing this now is what matters and will affect you and the visitors to this show going forward. Thank you.