Un affreux cauchemar c. 19th century

Editor: So, this lithograph is titled "Un affreux cauchemar", which translates to "A Dreadful Nightmare," by Honoré Daumier, from around the 19th century. It’s… chaotic! It looks like the poor guy in bed is being attacked by… vases? What exactly is going on here? Curator: Ah, Daumier! Never one to shy away from the absurd. This piece is indeed a bit of a visual ruckus, isn't it? He's capturing a specific craze of the time – *potichomanie*. Ever heard of it? It's all about people, especially women, going gaga for decorating vases. Editor: Vases… attacking a sleeping person? I don't quite get the connection. Curator: Well, isn't that always the delightful paradox of art? Daumier is using exaggeration to critique obsession. The vases, rendered monstrous and lively, become symbols of the overwhelming nature of this decorative trend. The poor fellow probably spent all his money on vases! What do you feel from this image? Editor: Hmm, that makes more sense. It’s a really dramatic image. He also seems genuinely terrified! Almost comical because its about... vases! Curator: Precisely! There is a dark comedy in that contrast. Daumier wants us to see the silliness of being consumed by fleeting fads. Romanticism had a weird but fascinating satirical vein. You wouldn't want a room full of pottery leaping towards you would you? Editor: No, thank you. The context definitely shifts the whole mood. Now the frenzy feels even more tangible, more relatable, in a strange way. Curator: It makes me ponder what “nightmares” consume us in our own day and age? Editor: That is so true! Definitely given me something to reflect on.