Lannes, duc de Montebello 1850

Editor: This is Honoré Daumier’s lithograph "Lannes, duc de Montebello," created around 1850. I’m immediately struck by the... well, the almost aggressive discomfort radiating from the subject. He looks like he's daring you to disagree with him! What stands out to you most about this caricature? Curator: Discomfort, exactly! Daumier was a master of pinning down the unease and arrogance simmering beneath the surface of Parisian society. It's a portrait, but simultaneously a dismantling. That heavy brow, the tightly crossed arms...it’s not just a physical pose, it's a fortress he's built around himself. The duc's gaze suggests the world owes him something he isn't quite getting. And the subtle gradations achieved in the lithograph heighten that feeling of haughtiness, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely! It’s amazing how much expression he gets with just the shading of the face. The lines seem so simple, almost hurried, but the effect is incredibly powerful. How much of this, do you think, is artistic license versus an accurate depiction of the Duke? Curator: Ah, the magic question! With Daumier, the 'truth' isn't about photographic accuracy. Instead, it’s about conveying a psychological truth. This isn't necessarily Lannes, the individual; it's Lannes embodying a particular type of power, privilege, and perhaps, self-delusion. Do you feel any sympathy for him, looking at this? Editor: Hmmm… Sympathy’s a stretch! But there’s something almost pitiable about how hard he's working to project this image of self-importance. I guess it’s that hint of insecurity peeking through. Curator: Precisely! And that tension, that little flicker of doubt is Daumier’s brilliance. He shows us the human, the vulnerable beneath the mask of authority. It's a timeless commentary, really. What do you think you'll take away from seeing this piece? Editor: I guess I'll always think about the power of subtle details...how a slight shift in line can completely change the story a portrait tells. Curator: Agreed, and never underestimate the piercing insights that can come from what might seem like a quickly sketched caricature!