Do you know, Partagé, which village in France has the most knock-kneed clockmakers? -No. Where's that? -Well, it's Pau! -Why? -No one has ever been able to figure it out!, p. 19 1853

Curator: This is a lithograph by Paul Gavarni. The print's full title is rather long: "Do you know, Partagé, which village in France has the most knock-kneed clockmakers? -No. Where's that? -Well, it's Pau! -Why? -No one has ever been able to figure it out!". Editor: It looks like the punchline is also the title! I love the smug expression on the joker’s face and how the other guy is looking down, totally bummed he didn’t get it. Curator: Gavarni produced social satire commenting on Parisian life, often using humor to critique the bourgeoisie. The joke here likely riffs on regional stereotypes or occupational hazards. Editor: The lithographic lines are so delicate, they almost feel like whispers. You can almost hear the laughter and the groans in a smoky Parisian cafe. What do you make of the empty hat on the floor? Curator: Perhaps a symbol of the character's wit, or a jab at the societal pressures of the time, inviting viewers to contemplate the unspoken codes governing public life and humor. Editor: Or maybe someone just didn't have any good jokes! Either way, it leaves you pondering the nuances of social humor and the quirky corners of 19th-century Parisian life.