-Cristi!... what misfortune that I don't know Chinese... I would tell her with pleasure something pleasing for her and unkindly for her husband. 1859

Curator: This lithograph, "Cristi!... what misfortune that I don't know Chinese... I would tell her with pleasure something pleasing for her and unkindly for her husband," is by Honoré Daumier. Editor: The grotesque figures and rough lines immediately convey a sense of satire and social critique. Curator: Indeed, the composition employs caricature to exaggerate the features of the Western man, likely critiquing colonial attitudes. The woman's image, under the umbrella, seems more subdued. Editor: The lithographic process itself adds to the message. It's a mass-produced medium, making the critique accessible to a wider audience and speaks to the politics of the time. Curator: Consider the structural relationship between the figures. The Western man dominates the foreground. The woman is partially obscured, symbolizing perhaps, a misinterpretation of Chinese culture. Editor: It’s a raw, almost acidic commentary, clearly meant to disrupt and challenge the viewer's perspective on interactions between cultures and class. Curator: The work masterfully uses form to expose the dynamics of power and perception. Editor: Exactly, and the materiality of the print reinforces its role as a readily disseminated political statement.