"So then, old guy Loustalot...you have to agree that it's a little tiresome to spend the whole day with our arms turned into signal flags..." c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Honoré Daumier’s lithograph, "So then, old guy Loustalot...you have to agree that it's a little tiresome to spend the whole day with our arms turned into signal flags..." The lines seem very expressive; what is Daumier trying to convey through this piece? Curator: Daumier often used his art as social commentary. Consider the rise of industrialization and its impact. What societal changes might this image be critiquing? Perhaps the monotonous, almost robotic nature of new jobs like railway signaling? Editor: That makes sense. The men do seem weary, almost like cogs in a machine. Curator: Exactly! And the title itself is a complaint, highlighting the tiresome aspect of this new labor. It's Daumier pointing out the human cost of progress. Editor: I see it now, thanks! This makes me think about how art captures the social impact of technology.