Wandering Saltimbanques 1847 - 1850

Curator: Standing before us is Honoré Daumier's work, "Wandering Saltimbanques," thought to have been created sometime between 1847 and 1850. Editor: It has this beautifully muted palette, mostly browns and grays. But despite the lack of vibrant color, there's a compelling sadness radiating from the figures. Almost haunting. Curator: Indeed. Daumier often used his art to portray the struggles of the working class, and in this case, we see a traveling troupe of performers. They were often social outcasts and this is likely a commentary on their marginal existence in French society during that period. Editor: Looking closely, the main character, he wears what appears to be a fool's cap but carries himself with such weary dignity. What does that tension speak to, I wonder? Is Daumier commenting on their inherent status, even while acknowledging the difficulty of their circumstances? Curator: Precisely. These traveling performers often found themselves in a precarious position, on the fringes of acceptable society, providing entertainment yet often regarded with disdain. He uses these recurring figures in a lot of work as an almost social commentary. The wandering becomes emblematic of the journey many French working classes went through in this era. Editor: The faces, though indistinct, evoke a certain resignation. It is as if the weight of the world rests upon them. Is it also perhaps an understanding and representation of their societal role? Fools can speak truth to power, even while masked in jester garb. Curator: An excellent observation. Consider too that in 19th-century France, there was an increasing divide between urban and rural areas, economic stability and impoverishment, "Wandering Saltimbanques," seems to capture the itinerancy of many lower-class groups, of those disaffected from society. Editor: I can’t help but wonder, what were the internal struggles of Daumier himself, grappling with these themes and what sort of emotional toll it would take representing these characters in such heavy ways. The wandering may have more symbolic meanings beyond economic troubles too, something more about the character himself? Curator: That’s a perceptive consideration. There is certainly a palpable empathetic resonance here, I find myself reflecting on his emotional life while standing before the work, thinking on Daumier's emotional condition too!