“- Eh! my Didine, have we danced enough? - Oh, don't mention it any more, I am completely worn out - Then take off your stockings and get to bed! - Good grief, no.. really, I'm just too tired!,” plate 56 from Moeurs Conjugales 1842

Curator: Let's spend a moment with this lithograph by Honoré Daumier, created in 1842. It's titled “- Eh! my Didine, have we danced enough? - Oh, don't mention it any more, I am completely worn out - Then take off your stockings and get to bed! - Good grief, no.. really, I'm just too tired!,” and it’s plate 56 from a series called Moeurs Conjugales, depicting married life. What strikes you initially about it? Editor: The scratchy, hurried lines give it this wonderfully immediate feel. It looks quickly sketched, raw. It definitely emphasizes the weary texture of domesticity. I mean, just look at the drooping stockings cast aside—evidence of labour! Curator: Daumier was a master of social commentary. The title and image give us a glimpse into the private lives of a middle-class French couple. The woman's utter exhaustion speaks volumes about gender roles and the demands placed upon wives. Editor: Exactly! And think about the lithographic process itself – creating multiple impressions makes this scene accessible to a wider public. It transforms personal fatigue into a mass-produced image for consumption. How subversive! Curator: He was poking fun at societal norms, highlighting the disillusionment that can creep into relationships. Note how the dim candlelight casts shadows, creating an atmosphere of weariness, almost a claustrophobia within the domestic space. Editor: And the composition itself! The discarded stockings practically become a sculptural element. We are made acutely aware of the materials - her worn garments, the heavy drape of the bed linen - elements usually unseen, deemed unworthy of “high art.” He is highlighting the material conditions of their marriage. Curator: Definitely. There is a biting satire embedded within this intimate portrayal, reflecting broader societal tensions and expectations. Editor: It’s remarkable how Daumier elevates the mundane aspects of everyday life – tired feet, domestic arguments – to something worthy of artistic exploration through the medium of lithography. Curator: Precisely. A quick glance becomes a revealing observation on the power dynamics at play. Editor: I think I understand more clearly Daumier’s subversive way of looking at class. Curator: Yes, and I appreciate seeing these personal experiences positioned in the broader social landscape.