“- Just 15 cents for a full bath.... what a deal!,” plate 12 from Croquis Parisiens 1856

Curator: Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, “- Just 15 cents for a full bath.... what a deal!,” as part of his Croquis Parisiens series in 1856. The print is currently held at The Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: Whoa, talk about a miserable commute. I can almost feel the damp chill radiating off this image! The sketch-like quality makes it feel like a fleeting observation, a snatched moment of Parisian life. Curator: Daumier was known for his social commentary, particularly targeting the bourgeoisie during the reign of Louis-Philippe. The series often satirized urban life, social inequality, and the foibles of the wealthy. Note the overcrowding on the bus; "Complet" reads the sign on the vehicle, but that seems only aspirational. Editor: It’s the sheer resignation on their faces that gets me. All those top hats crammed together, shielding them from a downpour they can't escape, packed shoulder-to-shoulder, a parody of refinement in the face of the basic needs and discomforts that unite them. It’s as if their class signifiers offer no real protection at all! Curator: Exactly. Daumier used caricature as a tool to critique the superficiality of social structures. The "15 cents for a full bath" caption drips with irony, highlighting the vast difference between the lived realities of the upper and lower classes of Paris and what each can afford, and what true hygiene entails. Editor: The scratchy lines really contribute to the mood too. It emphasizes the gloom and grit of the city. You can practically hear the rain pounding against the carriage! Also, I see one man has an umbrella while others don't, an added indication of differences in status. Curator: Indeed, his style adds to his message. His critique cuts across issues of class, race, gender, politics, culture, philosophy, feminism, cultural studies and sociology, offering us today insight into France of the time, and reflections of our own societies. Editor: Makes you wonder what a "full bath" even meant for 15 cents back then! Anyway, this artwork definitely invites me to reflect on how much, or how little, society has changed. Curator: A compelling visual statement. Let’s move on to the next piece in our collection.