Une Nouvelle connaissance 1846

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, Une Nouvelle Connaissance, portraying a chance encounter between a man and a woman, likely sometime in the mid-19th century. Daumier, celebrated for his social observations, often critiqued the bourgeoisie, a rising class in France at the time. Here, we see an elderly man, perhaps a bachelor, eagerly engaging with a woman who clutches a small dog. The dog acts almost as a social prop, facilitating connection and hinting at the woman’s own place within a changing society that was beginning to value domesticity and sentimentality. Daumier's work often poked fun at social pretensions, and here, we may question the sincerity of their interaction, reflecting on how social roles and economic statuses shaped relationships during this period. The drawing’s emotional tone lies in its quiet observation of human foibles, inviting us to reflect on the ever-present dance of social interaction.