"The devil!... It seems that the razor is scarcely any good..." 1847

Editor: This is Honoré Daumier's lithograph, "The devil!... It seems that the razor is scarcely any good..." It has such a wonderfully grumpy atmosphere, doesn't it? I'm curious, what does this scene evoke for you? Curator: It makes me think of the everyday frustrations of life, doesn't it? Daumier was a master of capturing the anxieties of the bourgeoisie. I imagine this fellow, anticipating a terrible shave, is a metaphor for larger societal woes. It's almost comically tragic, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely. The humor really highlights the underlying discomfort. I'm starting to think of all the little annoyances that build up during the day. Curator: Exactly! It’s in these tiny moments that Daumier finds his profound truths. A bad shave becomes an emblem of broader discontent. I wonder what other “razors” we might encounter today? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about – the “razors” of our time! Curator: Indeed! It's like Daumier's work is a mirror reflecting our own daily struggles.