Les Bigarrures de l 'esprit humain, ca. 1830-1831, No. 16 : Monsieur et Madam (...) c. 1830 - 1831

Curator: Allow me to introduce "Les Bigarrures de l'esprit humain," specifically No. 16, titled "Monsieur et Madame (...)." This lithograph and drawing, dating back to around 1830-1831, comes to us from the hand of Joseph Lemercier. It currently resides in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Oh, what a peculiar scene! It feels like a captured moment, awkward and faintly comedic. The colors are muted yet strangely vibrant; there is something very satirical here, I think. What's with that poor man's elongated nose? Curator: Exactly! It's a prime example of caricature. The exaggerated features— the woman's prim posture, the gentleman’s prominent nose – all speak to social commentary through figuration and genre painting which are very Romantic ideals.. These works poked fun at the conventions of bourgeois life during the Romantic period. Note how the clothing serves almost as a symbolic language itself, instantly communicating status and character. Editor: It feels like looking into a time capsule of social awkwardness. But beneath that lies a real sharpness. The romantic ideal subverted by humor. The pen and ink and subtle use of color are charming. What does the inscription tell us? Curator: The text translates roughly to a stilted inquiry, a man asking after the health of another man's mother: "Monsieur and Madame, your mother seems well? — But how do you perceive that you do very well." It's all terribly mannered and of course that disconnect is what Lemercier is spotlighting. Editor: The stage-like setting enhances the feeling of performance. Almost as though he's trapped inside that rigid pose. It speaks to how appearance can be a kind of confinement, especially in a society so obsessed with image. Curator: Precisely! These "follies of the human spirit," as the series title suggests, explore the tension between our inner selves and the roles we play in society. What endures is how universal the dynamics in his lithograph continue to be. Editor: It's that recognizable dance of manners and subtle jabs. So thanks, Joseph, for the gift of perspective. We really haven't changed all that much, have we?