On a beau dire, l'antique est toujours beau... 1850

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, titled "On a beau dire, l'antique est toujours beau...", sometime in the 19th century. It depicts an elderly couple sitting in a park, gazing up at a classical sculpture of a nude woman. Daumier was a master of social commentary, and this image is no exception. Made in France, the lithograph satirizes the reverence for classical art that was prevalent among the bourgeoisie at the time. The old man's admiring gaze and the wife's sarcastic reply, "Yes, in marble, my dear," suggests a critique of the hypocrisy and outdated values of the French middle class. Daumier's work often appeared in satirical publications and newspapers, mediums which were crucial to the development of a public sphere in France. Examining these sources, and the collections of institutions like the Bibliothèque Nationale, helps us to grasp how Daumier challenged the social norms of his time through accessible imagery. By looking at art in its social context, we see it is not just about aesthetics but a reflection of cultural values and power structures.