Lannes, plate 519 1835

Curator: My first thought: glum. Editor: And not inaccurately! We're looking at Honoré Daumier's 1835 lithograph entitled "Lannes, plate 519," currently housed right here at The Art Institute of Chicago. What you’re sensing is definitely the artist’s intent. Curator: Lithograph. That's like drawing with a greasy crayon, right? You get that real dense black, those almost velvety shadows... he’s just sinking into this chair! What's he glum about, anyway? Bad investments? A lost love? Editor: In truth, "Lannes" here wasn’t just any sad sack, but a Marshall of France under Napoleon, known for his ferocity. But Daumier made a name – and career – out of lampooning figures of authority, and you can tell he savors poking fun at the puffed-up bourgeois. It’s political satire at its finest. Curator: It’s wonderfully cruel, isn't it? The Romantic style really exaggerates every physical trait – see the man’s downward gaze, his slumped posture, the crossed arms like he’s guarding a secret. He looks deeply, existentially unhappy. Did the French public see right through the caricatures at the time? Editor: They did and Daumier landed himself in jail for it! "Lannes" comes from "La Caricature," a journal that fearlessly took on social and political issues through the lens of visual art. They challenged the status quo in post-revolutionary France and didn't shy away from skewering those in power. Curator: I love that. What I'm gleaning is a universal truth: even the most powerful feel defeated, maybe even bored, at the end of the day. Editor: Absolutely. And it reveals something critical about the nature of power itself – its constructed nature, its dependence on perception and, sometimes, a little bit of good-natured mockery to keep it in check. Curator: I think I’ll keep him in mind next time I’m feeling a bit deflated; even Napoleon's generals have days when all they want is a comfy chair and some quiet contemplation. Editor: It is a reminder that beneath titles and uniforms, we share a common thread of human experience, something Daumier highlights with a darkly comic touch.