Carrots! How many are there, of the Bourgeois and the Crested Birds that live only on them?, p. 55. 1853

Curator: This is Paul Gavarni's print, dating from the 19th century, titled "Carrots! How many are there, of the Bourgeois and the Crested Birds that live only on them?, p. 55." It's an etching, isn't it? Editor: It has such an immediate sense of poverty. The woman looks worn, and the line work is so raw, reflecting a gritty social reality. Curator: The material tells a story of accessibility. Prints like these were cheaper, designed for mass consumption, offering commentary on the disparities of Parisian society. Gavarni was making art for a wider public. Editor: Absolutely. Her downcast eyes and the question posed in the title—it speaks to the artist's awareness of class and the precarity of survival for many. Curator: He cleverly uses the image and text to connect the trade of carrots to the social hierarchy. Editor: It makes you wonder about the unseen labor—the fields, the markets—and the people whose lives revolved around this single commodity. Curator: Exactly. Gavarni uses these readily-available materials to highlight the often-overlooked realities of labor and consumption. Editor: A powerful statement conveyed through such simple means. Curator: Indeed, a stark look at the marketplace of humanity.