Three Lawyers 

Editor: So, this is "Three Lawyers" by Honoré Daumier, done in oil paint. I’m struck by the texture; you can really see the brushstrokes and the darkness of their robes seems to almost absorb the light. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The materiality here is key. The thick impasto Daumier uses isn't just aesthetic; it's about production. These are working lawyers, yes? How does Daumier use the very act of applying paint to convey the weight of their profession, their labor? Editor: That's interesting! I hadn’t thought of the physical act of painting being connected to their physical work. Is it just the texture, or are there other ways the materials are important? Curator: Look at the dark palette. Daumier’s using these deep, earthy tones to talk about social context and the reality of their world. This wasn't a commissioned portrait of noble men, but a candid look at the everyday legal profession, rendered in inexpensive pigments to mirror the lower status of these 'genre paintings.' It questions the established hierarchy of subject matter itself. What's the relationship between cheap material and caricatures, typically viewed as disposable? Editor: So you are saying the work is pushing back against the art establishment's materials and values of art production? The fact that Daumier choose oil paints versus any other medium is, in itself, important? Curator: Absolutely. It democratizes artmaking, bringing what was considered the most noble artistic tradition to the working people. But what does that achieve? And what tensions emerge when the material itself is read as carrying the weight of labor? Editor: That really opens up a new way of thinking about the painting beyond just the people in it. Now I’m looking at it and considering what Daumier is saying about his own craft by portraying the craft of others. Curator: Exactly! Seeing art through its materials is key.