Ex-membres de l'ex-société de l'ex-Dix-décembre 1850

Curator: This lithograph, "Ex-membres de l'ex-société de l'ex-Dix-décembre" by Honoré Daumier from 1850, it presents such a striking contrast between the two figures depicted, doesn't it? The way the lines emphasize their dishevelment. Editor: Yes, the slumped posture and the cheap beer suggest they've really fallen from grace. What kind of context underpinned Daumier's production of these lithographs? Curator: I think Daumier, a committed Republican, offers here a commentary on the failed promises of the 1848 Revolution. We should remember that lithography in this period was a fairly accessible medium, enabling widespread distribution and social critique. The availability of the printing process to many artists and newspapers allowed this democratization of political and social viewpoints. Editor: That makes a lot of sense. I guess this availability to mass production speaks volumes about Daumier's approach to his practice. The very act of making this a print, a multiple, it sort of drives the message home. Do you think the choice of lithography influenced how people received his message? Curator: Absolutely. It suggests Daumier sought to circumvent established artistic circles. And that beer on the table speaks of that very fact too, a product available to more social groups in opposition to the bourgeois 'vin'. How does seeing Daumier in this context affect your view of Romanticism? Editor: It complicates it. I guess it's a reminder that Romanticism wasn't just about heroic landscapes or idealized figures; it was also a period of immense social change, which created a lot of turmoil and Daumier captures that. Curator: Exactly, a perfect demonstration of Romanticism's connection to Realism via accessible materiality and social production processes. We also see Romanticism through social subjects like these in Delacroix. Editor: It is fascinating to consider the intersection of material production and social critique in his work. Curator: Indeed, focusing on production helps us decode so much, challenging conventional artistic limits.