Smell c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Honoré Daumier's "Smell", a black and white print from the Harvard Art Museums collection. The figure seems so absorbed in the act of smelling. What do you see in this piece beyond that initial observation? Curator: I see Daumier using the sense of smell as a lens through which to examine class and societal roles. The man, perhaps a working-class Parisian, finds simple pleasure in his plants amidst urban squalor. Does his act of smelling become a quiet act of resistance, or perhaps a momentary escape from the hardships of daily life? Editor: That's fascinating; I hadn't considered that. It really changes how I perceive the image. Curator: Considering the era, Daumier was likely commenting on the rapid industrialization and its impact on personal well-being and on social class. Editor: Thanks, that gives me a lot to think about regarding Daumier's perspective. Curator: Indeed. The image invites us to consider our own relationship to sensory experience within a broader socio-political context.