"Voyons donc, voyons donc les amis...pour deux pauv' p'tites bouteilles...si vous n'êtes pas plus solides que ça sur vos jambes..., je n'vous engagerai plus à m'payer à boire!..." 1859

Editor: This lithograph by Honoré Daumier, seems to be titled "Voyons donc, voyons donc les amis...". It's quite satirical and depicts a scene of what appears to be French Indochina. What can you tell me about this image? Curator: As a materialist, I see a commentary on colonial power dynamics. The artist, Daumier, through the means of print production, critiques the exploitation of labor and resources in colonized lands. How are the figures arranged? Editor: One figure is standing and holding the queue of another, who seems to be kneeling with another figure at his side. Curator: Precisely. Notice the material implications of this act. The queue, a symbol of cultural identity, is being literally held and controlled, signifying a control over labor, resources, and social structures. Is Daumier celebrating or condemning the act? Editor: It definitely feels like a condemnation, highlighting the imbalanced relationship. I hadn't considered the implications of control. Curator: Exactly. And through mass production of lithographs, these ideas could circulate widely, challenging dominant narratives of colonialism. Food for thought, indeed.