Study of a Man's Head for "The Organ Grinder" c. 1860

Editor: This is Honoré Daumier's study of a man's head for "The Organ Grinder". It's a small drawing at the Harvard Art Museums, and what strikes me is the vulnerability in the man's open mouth and the lines etched around his eyes. What do you see? Curator: I see a symbol of resilience. The open mouth is not just vulnerability; it's a conduit. Daumier often depicted the working class with a sense of shared struggle. Consider the organ grinder, a common sight in Parisian streets, providing music and perhaps a bit of hope. The figure's face embodies that collective feeling, doesn’t it? Editor: That's an interesting perspective. I was so focused on individual emotion, but it represents more than that. Curator: Exactly. These images become vessels holding cultural memory, reminding us of shared experiences.