“- What do you mean, there are soon going to be air trains? - But of course, Monsieur... you see, it will then be very easy to establish a connection between Dover and Calais... but of course, the project is still suspended in air,” plate 14 from The Railroad 1843

Curator: So, this is “- What do you mean, there are soon going to be air trains? - But of course, Monsieur... you see, it will then be very easy to establish a connection between Dover and Calais... but of course, the project is still suspended in air,” plate 14 from "The Railroad," by Honoré Daumier, from 1843. It’s a lithograph, a print on paper. What jumps out at you? Editor: Well, first off, the title's a mouthful! But the two characters, the way one leans in, a bit slyly, telling the other about this wild air train idea...it feels like Daumier's winking at us. What do you make of it? Curator: I love that! It feels so...contemporary, doesn't it? This knowing glance, this skepticism towards grand, probably impossible schemes. Daumier was a master of capturing the pulse of Paris. This was the era of burgeoning industrial revolution – a lot of excitement, but also anxiety, about the future. Do you think he’s poking fun at progress itself? Editor: Maybe? I mean, there's a definite sense of irony. The 'air train' sounds ridiculous, and the landscape seems...barren, almost mocking this grand vision. Curator: Precisely! Daumier often used satire to critique society. Look at the contrast between the two men – their clothes, their postures. Who do you think represents the "establishment," and who's the... well, the dreamer? Editor: Definitely the top-hatted figure as establishment! The other one has the air of a traveling salesman trying to trick a wealthy prospect! But what about the railway on the cliff that they are looking at? It makes one wonder why build the air train when they have not even mastered railroads. Curator: Excellent question! It brings us to Daumier's brilliance: this blend of observation and commentary. That railway could be the real subject - ground based trains versus the 'project suspended in air.' Editor: I never would have caught all that just looking at it! I appreciate you highlighting the cultural context of the drawing. Curator: And I love that you honed in on the landscape! Daumier challenges us to find layers beneath the surface, doesn't he?