Self-Portrait c. 1855

Editor: Take a look at Honoré Daumier's "Self-Portrait," sculpted around 1855 in bronze. It’s… intense, isn't it? The rough texture of the bronze, the furrowed brow... it really conveys a sense of inner turmoil. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: What jumps out is Daumier’s choice of bronze. A traditionally ‘high art’ material, certainly. But here, he’s using it almost brutally. The marks of his hand are so visible. What does it tell us about his relationship to his labor and the expectations around academic sculpture at that time? The visible tool marks – were they considered unfinished or deliberately expressive, defying those polished ideals? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. It does seem to fight against a polished ideal. It's like he’s actively showing us the work that went into it. Do you think that relates to the rise of Realism then? Curator: Absolutely. Realism wasn't just about depicting everyday subjects; it was also about showing the 'how' of things, the nitty-gritty processes. By foregrounding the sculpting process, Daumier draws attention to his role as a craftsman, almost challenging the established hierarchy of art versus craft and its connections with the dominant bourgeoise. How might this contrast with how self-portraits were usually produced by, say, court painters? Editor: The court painters idealized themselves, reflecting the power structures around them... Daumier's portrait seems to push against that idea, toward the grit of Realism, where even self-representation can challenge established norms. Curator: Exactly. Thinking about art as labor, and labor as art, really opens up how we see this piece. Editor: This has definitely given me a different way to understand Daumier's artistic intention and societal impact.