Plus souvent que tu m'attraperas encore à satisfaire ta fantaisie d'aller dîner sur l'herbe . . . V'là deux heures que nous marchons et nous n'avons pas encore trouvé le moindre qazon . . . Si j'avais su, j'aurais fourré au fond du panier notre grand tapis vert. 8 - 1847

Editor: So, this lithograph is called "Plus souvent que tu m'attraperas encore à satisfaire ta fantaisie d'aller dîner sur l'herbe...", or "You'll catch me more often satisfying your fantasy of having dinner on the grass..." It was created by Honoré Daumier, around 1847. I am immediately drawn to how it speaks to the futility of the idyllic picnic scene. What symbolic reading might we glean from this artwork? Curator: The image depicts a middle-class couple, perhaps city dwellers, venturing out for a picnic only to be met with barren, inhospitable landscapes, a symbol of a broader societal disconnect. Does the landscape remind you of anything specific? The posture of the woman hints at disappointment or resignation. Note how she seems to be pulled back, whereas her husband is determined to move forward with his basket full of delicacies. Editor: Yes, she does look quite weary, weighed down even. Are those barren trees meant to represent something specific about their relationship or the state of France at the time? Curator: Precisely! This landscape and the couple's struggle represent anxieties during a time of social and political upheaval. Think about the rapid industrialization occurring in France; could these figures be understood to reflect a nostalgic yearning for simpler times, mocked by the artist with a hint of cynical pity? Consider also the title: the fact that the man says 'You'll catch me more often...' suggests he expects this venture to continue regardless of how foolish it appears. Editor: That's a clever point – almost like a commentary on repeating the same mistakes. I see the symbolic significance now, not just a failed picnic. Curator: It’s in those layered readings that Daumier excels, reminding us that even the most seemingly straightforward scenes can be laden with deeper meanings about human nature and the human condition. Editor: Thank you! I had a lot of insight digging deep with cultural and historic references.