“- I am glad that we are not scientists, otherwise Monsieur would also invite us to taste this camel hump he ordered from Algeria… I'd rather enjoy a meal of veal hump!,” plate 8 from La Sopciété D'acclimatation 1858

Curator: So, what do you think of this piece? This is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier from 1858. It's titled with quite a mouthful, \u201c- I am glad that we are not scientists, otherwise Monsieur would also invite us to taste this camel hump he ordered from Algeria\u2026 I'd rather enjoy a meal of veal hump!,\u201d part of a series called "La Société D'acclimatation." Editor: Utterly captivating, yet unsettling. The stark lines immediately draw you into the kitchen scene. There's a sense of anticipation mixed with dread hanging in the air, and the way the figures are drawn—elongated, almost grotesque—amplifies that feeling. A rather sardonic caricature, I feel! Curator: I agree. It speaks volumes about the Société d'Acclimatation and its obsession with introducing exotic animals into the Parisian food scene. It's satirical and very dark-humored. You notice the cook's smirk and the other man's reluctance to the meal being offered! Editor: Precisely. This reluctance—it's almost a premonition. These facial expressions capture so much! And look at those kitchen utensils hanging behind, resembling the tools for an operating theater. One could be reading this satire not just as commentary on acclimatization but perhaps, in a wider way, about scientists. They seem trapped, almost surgical. Curator: Right, these hanging pots become instruments in a perverse culinary laboratory. I guess it asks to look beyond a simple introduction of species in France at the time... a commentary on hubris! I am not sure, what do you think? Editor: A possibility to follow, no doubt! Now, look closely at that camel hump on the table. Isn't the hump itself almost like an alien object here? I see in the cook´s pleasure with this "novel" ingredient some deep psychological resonance on exploration. Are we celebrating the wonders of the natural world, or consuming and domesticating it for personal whimsy? Curator: Very insightful, yes, it raises a lot of considerations on the "natural", and I love the unsettling aura you are pointing at! Thank you for that. Editor: Indeed. It all makes this lithograph incredibly powerful, a biting social commentary hidden beneath a seemingly humorous exterior. I am struck by how fresh and topical this piece is today.