"Fifteen cents a complete bath...My word of honor, this is not payment." 1856

Curator: Here we have Honoré Daumier's "Fifteen cents a complete bath...My word of honor, this is not payment." Editor: My immediate feeling is a sense of dismal saturation. The rain is slashing down, the figures cramped, and the mood is pure drudgery. Curator: This lithograph highlights the socio-economic conditions in 19th-century Paris, commenting on the public's access to basic necessities during a time of rapid urbanization and inequality. Editor: Look at the scratchy, almost frantic mark-making! The lithographic process itself, with its greasy crayon on stone, echoes the grimy reality of seeking a cheap "bath" in that era. Curator: Daumier frequently critiqued the bourgeoisie, and here he uses visual satire to show how even a low price can be exploitative or inadequate. Editor: The word "Complet" emblazoned on the vehicle emphasizes this sense of full, overflowing misery—they're packed in like commodities. Curator: Exactly. He exposes how the promise of cheap services barely masks the grim realities of the working class. Editor: It’s a powerful indictment of a society where basic hygiene becomes a luxury, laid bare through the very labor-intensive process used to create the image itself. Curator: A stark reminder that the cost of living often exceeds what one can pay, in more ways than one.