Three Amateurs in front of the Night Review of Raffet 

Editor: So, here we have Honoré Daumier’s charcoal drawing, "Three Amateurs in front of the Night Review of Raffet." There's almost a voyeuristic feel, like we're peering into their private viewing. How do you interpret this work, especially considering the period in which it was created? Curator: This drawing is really interesting from a social and political perspective. Daumier often critiqued the bourgeoisie. Here, we see these men closely examining, perhaps even fetishizing, Raffet’s work, which likely depicted military scenes or nationalistic subjects. It's essential to ask ourselves, what does their gaze signify? Are they celebrating military power, or are they distanced observers, perhaps profiting from or romanticizing conflict? Consider also, who has the luxury to engage in such leisure? Editor: That's a great point about their gaze. It makes me wonder about their relationship to the "Night Review" itself. Were they detached from the realities of what it represented? Curator: Exactly. Daumier masterfully uses caricature to highlight the class disparities and social hypocrisies of 19th-century France. Are these men in touch with the human cost depicted, or are they simply consuming it as entertainment? The art market and collecting practices themselves are implicated in these questions, right? Editor: It seems like Daumier is challenging the viewers, both then and now, to reflect on their own position in relation to power and representation. Thanks! Curator: Precisely. It’s about acknowledging our role in perpetuating or dismantling existing structures. Hopefully, it inspires more conversation about art’s social impact.