"You were hungry...you were hungry...that's no reason...." 1845

Curator: This is Honoré Daumier's "You were hungry...you were hungry...that's no reason...." The lithograph depicts a courtroom scene. The date of creation is unknown. Editor: It’s quite striking! The contrast between the relaxed, almost bored judge and the man in shackles is immediately compelling. Curator: Exactly. Daumier's lithographic technique, the stark lines and the focus on specific details, really emphasizes the material conditions of justice. The judge is comfortable, but the accused is clearly suffering. Editor: And the inscription, "You were hungry...that's no reason..." It's a damning indictment of the social inequities of the time. The print really speaks to the history of power structures. Curator: It’s all about the process, from the way the image was created, to the subject itself, to the implied consumption of justice. The judge consumes while the accused starves. Editor: Daumier clearly critiques how justice is served, or rather, how it fails to serve the most vulnerable. It’s a potent commentary on the role of institutions in society. Curator: Yes, I find the level of engagement between Daumier’s process and the final piece equally interesting. Editor: Agreed; its commentary on institutional failings still feels relevant today.