“- Alright, alright, I'm coming - one would think the house was on fire! - Enough about your fire!... I'm freezing. For two hours I've been pounding on the door. -(aside) that will teach you next time, not to give a tip!,” plate 32 from Émotions Parisiens 1840

Editor: So, this print from 1840 by Honoré Daumier, a lithograph on paper titled “- Alright, alright, I’m coming…”. It's giving me serious side-eye from the fella in the window. The long shadows really amplify the figure’s dramatic stance in the cold, perhaps indicating someone kept waiting outside. What do you make of it? Curator: Oh, it’s just brimming with everyday drama, isn’t it? It’s from a series called "Emotions Parisiens," and Daumier was the master of skewering the bourgeoisie. I love the exaggeration in the man's posture, almost comical in his self-importance. You can practically feel his shivering indignation! Do you get the sense of his social status versus the possible "housekeeper"? Editor: Definitely! I mean, just look at that top hat contrasting with her kerchief! It is almost Shakespearean. He looks like he’s been out on the town, and she clearly has a different agenda. Curator: Precisely. And there is so much rich contrast to be had! Daumier’s line work here is impeccable. The man is cloaked in deep shades and strong angularity. Now, the texture and implied light with a touch of satire - it's magnificent. Notice how that stonework almost becomes a character itself? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way, but yes! It does lend to the "frozen in time" sentiment, no pun intended. Curator: See? I think there is always something interesting happening beyond the subject itself. Editor: I do feel like I learned a lot; from social satire to even Daumier’s amazing skill with the lithograph. This work offers quite a snapshot of Parisian life. Curator: And that’s the beautiful thing. Art isn't always what we expect to encounter in a single viewing.