Un souvenir de gloire c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier’s lithograph presents a scene of two men sharing a drink, their gestures imbued with deeper meaning. One man, with hands clasped tightly, perhaps represents repressed emotion. The other, gesticulating wildly, evokes open, expressive communication. Consider the clasped hands. This motif appears throughout art history, from ancient Roman funerary sculpture, signifying grief and farewell, to Renaissance portraits where it symbolizes marital fidelity. Yet, here, the gesture seems burdened—a containment of unspoken stories. The expressive gestures, reminiscent of those found in Baroque art, serve as “pathos formulas,” aiming to stir the viewer's emotions. Like actors on a stage, these men use their bodies to convey inner turmoil, suggesting a psychological drama unfolding beneath the surface of everyday life. Such recurring symbols are not merely aesthetic choices. They tap into a collective memory, evoking ancestral experiences of loss, longing, and resilience. The cyclical return of these motifs reminds us that history is never truly past; it lives within us, shaping our perceptions and coloring our experiences.