A propos des... caves de la Banque de France 1866

Editor: This lithograph, "A propos des... caves de la Banque de France," was created by Honoré Daumier in 1866. It looks like a print depicting a new construction site with a rather despondent bourgeois couple observing manual laborers at work. What do you see in this piece from an art expert’s perspective? Curator: Structurally, observe the stark contrasts: the imposing, static figures in the foreground against the active, repetitive arches and figures in the background. This binary pulls the eye. The light is carefully manipulated, creating a sombre tone that draws our attention to the textures; inky, smudged shading in the lower section, contrasting the relative clarity and neatness of the lines illustrating the standing figures. The inscription, appearing to mockingly label what we're seeing as 'caves' or cellars, adds an almost brutal layer to the message; a sort of political commentary of Daumier's feelings. Do you perceive a sense of unease generated from the formal choices in the image? Editor: Absolutely. The stark contrast definitely contributes to that uneasy feeling. How do you interpret the symbolism? Is the “cave” an allegory? Curator: The "cave" and the banking context indeed invite an allegorical reading, though not immediately evident. Note how the physical toil is framed by the backdrop of the Bank of France. This immediately encourages one to wonder about the labour required versus that institution itself, highlighting potentially political commentary. Semiotically, we can analyze Daumier's lines to unearth deeper meanings of finance. It looks a pretty negative critique in truth. What new observation did you have looking closer at that? Editor: Seeing the contrast between foreground and background as a structural device really brought Daumier's political commentary to the front for me. It really changed the piece for me. Curator: Indeed! By carefully examining the construction of Daumier's image, the symbolic import is really sharpened.