Un Jour de Grande Tenue 1844

Editor: Here we have Honoré Daumier's "Un Jour de Grande Tenue," a black and white lithograph residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It's quite comical, I think. The figures are so exaggerated! What do you see in this piece? Curator: For me, it’s a sharp jab at the pompousness of authority. Daumier was a master of social satire. Look at the contrast: the slender, almost reluctant soldier versus the stout one, practically bursting with self-importance. Editor: Ah, so it's a commentary on social class and the military? Curator: Precisely! Daumier used his art as a weapon. Imagine the courage it took to mock the establishment so openly! Do you think it worked? Editor: I think so! I mean, we're still talking about it, aren't we? Curator: Exactly! Art with that kind of bite always leaves a mark.