A Husband Burns with the Fires of Jealousy 1847

Editor: So, this is Honoré Daumier’s "A Husband Burns with the Fires of Jealousy." It’s quite a darkly comic image, isn’t it? I’m struck by the stark contrast between the figures in the water and the couple on the hill. What do you make of this scene? Curator: It's Daumier at his satirical best! To me, the husband literally drowning in his jealousy is a brilliant visual metaphor. The embracing couple, oblivious on their little hill, are blissfully unaware of the turmoil below. It’s almost as if Daumier is asking us, "Isn’t jealousy a ridiculous waste of energy?" What do you think? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way, but it really does seem to mock the husband's suffering. Thanks! Curator: Of course! Always a pleasure to wade into Daumier’s swamp of human foibles.