Une boisson qui ne monte jamais à tête c. 19th century

Editor: This is Honoré Daumier's 19th-century print, "Une boisson qui ne monte jamais à la tête," which translates to "A drink that never goes to the head." The stark contrast between the two scenes is immediately striking. What strikes you most about the work? Curator: I’m drawn to how Daumier uses the print medium, normally associated with mass production and accessibility, to critique social stratification. Consider the stark juxtaposition: the bourgeois gentlemen sipping chicory coffee, and the working-class family with the oversized bottle. It is important to see how the division between these scenes, achieved through the very act of printing on this piece of paper, creates a social commentary. How does the materiality of print contribute to Daumier's message about labor and consumption? Editor: It almost seems like he’s highlighting the means of production themselves, the print showing the labor disparity. So, you're saying that the artwork’s value is tied to how Daumier’s uses material—the print medium—to point out those power structures? Curator: Precisely. Daumier isn't just depicting a scene; he's implicating the viewer in the very system he's critiquing. It makes you question how these images circulated and who had access to them, how it participated in both reflecting and perpetuating the social structures it depicts. Editor: I never thought of it that way before! It’s like the physical act of printing emphasizes the social divide. Curator: Indeed. And by focusing on the production of the artwork and consumption represented, Daumier urges us to consider not just what we see, but the material conditions that made its creation and reception possible. We must always acknowledge class consciousness through available media of creation. Editor: Thanks! It has been great hearing more about the material aspects behind Daumier's work! Curator: You're welcome. It's through this lens that we gain a richer understanding of how art reflects and shapes our understanding of society.