"Adélaide...Adélaide...il me semble que je vois déjà venir la cométe!!..." -- "Ah! mon Dieu...déjà la fin du monde...on nous avait pourtant promis que ça ne serait que le 13 juin!..." 1857

Editor: This print, by Honoré Daumier, is titled "Adélaide...Adélaide...il me semble que je vois déjà venir la comète!!..." The scene is so frantic, I wonder what's really going on here. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This print provides a glimpse into 19th-century anxieties surrounding scientific progress and societal change. Daumier uses satire to critique the public's susceptibility to doomsday prophecies. How does the artist use caricature to emphasize social commentary? Editor: The exaggerated expressions and gestures really highlight the characters' absurdity. Curator: Exactly. Daumier's work speaks to enduring themes of fear, misinformation, and the power of the press. Editor: I see how relevant Daumier's critique still is today. Thanks for helping me understand the cultural context.