Modification du costume parisien ... c. 19th century

Editor: So, this is Honoré Daumier's "Modification du costume parisien...", a 19th-century lithograph print. The characters are so exaggerated! What stands out to you? Curator: This image, beyond its caricature style, acts as a potent commentary on Parisian society’s obsession with spectacle and fleeting trends. What strikes me is the phrase 'nouveaux drames maritimes'. These were maritime dramas playing on the boulevards and so were consumed by Parisians from various social classes. Editor: So the figures' clothes and gestures exaggerate types seen on stage or even in the audience? Curator: Exactly! It's like Daumier is critiquing the way these 'dramas' and their visual trappings influence – or infect – Parisian identity and, importantly, class aspirations. Look at the central, bloated figure. Note the oversized garment... is it a pastiche of nautical clothing, worn to affect a raffish quality? And the apparent discomfort of the younger character. What does that tell us about gender and expectation at this time? Editor: It feels like a mockery of popular entertainment. The title literally translates to "Modification of Parisian costume following the new maritime dramas..." – implying Parisians are blindly adopting these theatrical trends. Curator: Precisely! And who benefits from this relentless pursuit of novelty? Daumier is subtly pointing to the commercial forces that manipulate public taste. Where would you place Daumier within a cultural milieu concerned about social justice? Editor: He used humor to address serious issues. I see the humor, but I also recognize a discomfort with social mobility. I'm beginning to view him as more of a rebel. Curator: Agreed. This work offers a lens through which to see social and artistic tensions that shaped 19th-century Paris. Thank you. Editor: I’ll definitely look at Daumier differently.