Monsieur... voici ce que nous donnons... en prime... 1845

Curator: Here, we have Honoré Daumier's lithograph from 1845, entitled "Monsieur… voici ce que nous donnons… en prime…" or, "Sir... here is what we give... as a bonus...". It’s one of his caricatures critiquing Parisian society. Editor: It feels cramped and chaotic! The way Daumier renders the figures, particularly the man offering the "bonus," there’s something almost sinister in his posture, his eyes… Curator: The lithograph critiques the commercialism encroaching upon the arts. Daumier uses the image of L'Univers Musical, likely a popular music journal, to discuss value in terms of economics rather than arts. What's presented as a "bonus" is in fact a large stack of unsold books! Editor: Right, I see it! There's a child, maybe a symbol of the younger generation, grasping at this supposed gift, completely oblivious to the reality of the offer. He reaches up towards something which has absolutely no intrinsic value, only monetary. This seems very cautionary. Curator: The "gift" also reflects on what happens when capitalism subsumes art and prioritizes profitability. This has gendered connotations as well: Throughout the 19th and 20th century, fine arts education for middle-class and upper-class women, was framed around consumption: how art could improve the consumer, not necessarily how consumers could actively take part in art practices. So what we might see here is actually art production catering towards, yet devaluing a specifically feminized artistic sphere. Editor: Yes! And visually, the door displaying “L’Univers Musical,” almost frames the figures, becoming an active component. This framing contributes to an ongoing visual language depicting musicality within commercial spaces, and musical spaces under commercial control, ultimately speaking about the economic exploitation of artistic production. Curator: The layers of commentary here are so biting! Editor: Indeed. It shows us the lasting value in critically reassessing inherited forms.