"Here is a pleasant surprise!" 1841

Curator: This is Honoré Daumier's lithograph, "Here is a pleasant surprise!", showing a figure ice fishing. Editor: It’s bleak! The sketchy lines and monochromatic palette evoke a real sense of isolation, even with other figures in the background. Curator: Daumier, known for his political and social commentary, uses the act of ice fishing to critique the bourgeoisie’s relentless pursuit of leisure, even to absurd extremes. Editor: Look at the way the ice is rendered, almost like fractured glass. The printmaking process itself, with its reliance on stone and acid, mirrors the harshness of the scene. Curator: Precisely. The print becomes a means to question the very foundations upon which societal values are built, especially class and power dynamics. Editor: The materiality of lithography allowed for mass production, making Daumier's critique accessible to a wide audience, and influencing the consumption of satirical imagery. Curator: A point well taken. Daumier's piece challenges us to see the satirical in the everyday, recognizing how systems of power are reproduced through cultural practices. Editor: I see the icy landscape as a metaphor for the cold, indifferent nature of social stratification within the elite. It’s a stark reminder that some pursuits are inherently isolating.