Charmé de se voir exposé... 1841

Honore Daumier's lithograph captures a scene of bourgeois vanity, ripe with symbols of self-importance. Note the piercing scowl on the portraits, these are not mere likenesses but embodiments of ego. The act of portraiture itself, especially among the rising middle class in 19th-century France, echoes a primal desire for immortality, a need to etch one's existence into the cultural memory. Think of the Roman emperors immortalized in marble, their stern visages meant to project power and permanence. Daumier, however, twists this tradition, imbuing it with satire. Consider the psychological weight of the gaze, a subject staring back at us across centuries. The expression on these portraits is not one of serenity or wisdom, but a pinched, almost aggressive displeasure. It hints at the anxieties lurking beneath the surface of bourgeois respectability. The pursuit of status, the fear of being forgotten—these are powerful currents that run through human history. Daumier’s work reminds us that even in the pursuit of immortality, the shadow of our insecurities remains ever-present, echoing across time.