Herbal Tea. “- Here you are, Monsieur, I thought I'd bring along the entire pack of hay so you can decide yourself about the strength of your tea,” plate 416 from Actualités 1857

Editor: This lithograph by Honoré Daumier, created in 1857, is titled "Herbal Tea". It's pretty funny – a maid is bringing an enormous sack, presumably of herbs, to a very… unwell looking gentleman. It's almost grotesque in its humor, wouldn't you say? What’s your take on what Daumier's trying to communicate here? Curator: Grotesque, yes, and wonderfully so! To me, Daumier is skewering the pretentiousness of the bourgeoisie playing at being 'ill' or 'delicate'. He’s exaggerating the scene – the ridiculous quantity of herbs, the man's pallor – to lampoon their obsession with remedies and their often-theatrical suffering. Doesn't it also make you think about the vast inequalities of the time? The working class, like the maid, burdened and literally carrying the weight for the pampered elite? Editor: That’s a really good point about class. I was so focused on the humor I hadn't fully considered that aspect. Curator: Daumier was brilliant at layering social commentary within humor, making us both laugh and think. The exaggerated size of the 'hay' versus the small tea set feels deliberate, wouldn't you agree? Perhaps suggesting the ridiculous overindulgence, where the cure is as absurd as the ailment. Editor: Definitely. It's like he's saying, “Look at how ridiculous this whole charade is!” The composition really reinforces that imbalance. Curator: Exactly! It is such an exaggerated parody. Daumier captures something essential about human nature. It feels surprisingly relevant, even today. Editor: It's amazing how much he can convey with just a few lines. I'm going to be thinking about this in my printmaking class!