Your Client is a Scoundrel 1866

Curator: This is a print by Honoré Daumier, titled "Your Client is a Scoundrel," held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought is how stark the image is, with the stark black-and-white contrast capturing such a cynical mood. Curator: Indeed. Daumier used lithography to produce multiple copies, making his satirical commentary accessible to a wide audience. The work's materiality underscores its function as social critique. Editor: Notice how the figures and setting are rendered with quick, almost frenzied lines, suggesting corruption and moral decay within the judicial system. It's quite telling. Curator: The composition centers on the two lawyers, emphasizing their power and questionable ethics. It makes one think about the structure of power. Editor: I find it unsettling that the men dine so casually while discussing serious crimes. It speaks volumes about the normalization of injustice within their social circles. Curator: The print's stark contrasts serve not just aesthetic function but also as a material instantiation of Daumier's moral perspective. Editor: It's unsettling how timeless the message remains—a reminder of the systemic issues that persist beyond the artwork’s creation.