"To think that this is what the French call Chinese!" 1859

Curator: Honoré Daumier, born in 1808, created this lithograph, "To think that this is what the French call Chinese!" It's part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: My first impression is one of gentle mockery, a shared inside joke. I see two figures, presumably Chinese, awkwardly presenting… something. It's all so vague and caricatured, somehow both funny and sad. Curator: Daumier often used his art for political commentary. This piece, with its slightly absurd title and depiction, speaks to the Western misunderstandings and stereotyping of Chinese culture at the time. Editor: Exactly! There's a sense of theatricality, as if Daumier is holding up a mirror to French society. He seems to be asking, "Is this really what you see?" I think it is a biting criticism cloaked in humor. Curator: I think Daumier aimed to reveal the dangers of ignorance and prejudice, prompting viewers to reconsider their own assumptions. Editor: It is a reminder of how easily we create simplified versions of others, and how damaging those can be. I leave contemplating the role satire plays in sparking conversation and change.