"They were good to tell me that their guns were only charged with bird shot..." 1855

Editor: This is "They were good to tell me that their guns were only charged with bird shot..." by Honoré Daumier. It looks like a lithograph. It has this wonderfully dark, satirical mood. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, Daumier, always with a twinkle in his eye! Look at the posture, the utter dejection of these hunters. They’re exhausted! The humor here is that disparity—the grand aspiration of the hunt versus this pathetic reality. Do you think Daumier pities them, or is he just poking fun? Editor: I think it's a bit of both! He captures their exhaustion so well, but there's definitely a mocking tone. I guess the birdshot wasn't enough! Curator: Exactly! It speaks volumes, doesn't it? It's social commentary disguised as a hunting mishap. Makes you wonder what hunts Daumier went on himself, doesn't it?