Opening of the Hunting. The Parisian Well Resolved to Destroy This Year All the Hares that Infest the Plain of St. Denis...with the Help of Devismes' New Lightning Bullets 1858

Editor: This lithograph, titled "Opening of the Hunting" by Honoré Daumier, it feels like a political commentary, maybe? What's going on with the audience in the back? Curator: It's a commentary on the bourgeois society and their relationship with hunting, set against the backdrop of urban life. How does Daumier use the hunter’s stance to further this commentary? Editor: He looks…uncomfortable, almost like he's forced into the role. Is that meant to critique the romanticism of hunting? Curator: Precisely! Daumier often satirized the bourgeoisie. He’s likely using this image to critique their adoption of rural pastimes, suggesting a performance rather than genuine engagement. What does that say about the "lightning bullets"? Editor: Maybe it's critiquing the use of new technology for sport? I see the satirical edge more clearly now! Curator: Exactly. Daumier uses wit to critique social and technological trends of his time.