A New Way of Descending the River of Life 1843

Editor: So, this is Honoré Daumier's "A New Way of Descending the River of Life." I don't see a date on it, and it looks like it's at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s definitely making me chuckle with all these capsizing boats and frantic figures. What's your take on it? Curator: Ah, Daumier. He's inviting us to laugh, but also to reflect. This lithograph is a biting commentary on Parisian society. See how the well-dressed are quite literally sinking? He's poking fun at their clumsy attempts to navigate, well, life. It's a watery metaphor, don't you think? Editor: I see that now! It's like he's saying they're all style and no substance, flailing about in the river. Curator: Precisely! And that little detail of the discarded hat? Such a small thing, but it adds a layer of social satire. It makes you wonder who will stay afloat and who will be swallowed by the current. It’s quite insightful!