The Taste. “Wow! I am not surprised any more why this fellow is so spirited... and he calls me an old beast! Let me have one of these every morning, and I will be full of spirit too,” plate 40 from Types Parisiens c. 1839

Curator: Honoré Daumier created "The Taste" around 1839, one of his "Types Parisiens" lithographs, and what strikes me first is its almost conspiratorial air. Editor: It’s as if we've stumbled into a clandestine moment. There’s such intimacy in the furtive gesture, this fellow swigging something probably best left untouched before noon, the whole scene is giving secrets and small rebellions. I’m tickled, frankly. Curator: Indeed, Daumier was known for these sly critiques of French society. The title, "The Taste," combined with the man’s defiant statement in the caption challenges prevailing assumptions around social roles and moral virtues associated with social class. His assertion "I am not surprised any more why this fellow is so spirited" alongside this action directly criticizes prevailing social inequities through subtle jabs. Editor: And you can almost taste the sharpness of the prose, mirroring whatever that is in his glass. His claim “he calls me an old beast! Let me have one of these every morning, and I will be full of spirit too,”—It’s all pointing to that very French idea that even life’s harsh realities can be palatable, even celebrated, with the right… lubrication? Curator: Right! And, stylistically, consider how Daumier used the relatively new medium of lithography to make his statements. Printmaking allowed for wider distribution than painting, and these satirical glimpses into Parisian life reached a much broader audience, fomenting critical dialogue. Editor: It's a kind of artistic activism, really, packaging sharp social commentary into something witty, visually appealing, and accessible. Looking at the soft, smudgy texture achieved by the lithographic crayon—there’s something incredibly immediate and raw. Almost like catching someone off-guard. And there are such incredibly strong opinions buried in such simplicity of expression. Curator: And I think, thinking about modern contexts, it prompts us to look closer at how images participate in the distribution of opinion and how caricature remains a powerful tool in shaping perceptions of contemporary class dynamics, here and elsewhere. Editor: A very relevant point! The world keeps changing and images like this urge us to reassess our current socio-economic narratives using humor and art, tools to dissect everything we consider standard. Well, that was quite spirited. Curator: A tasting, if you will, of history and art.