Apropos the New Cellars of the Bank of France 1866

Curator: This is Honoré Daumier's, Apropos the New Cellars of the Bank of France. The lithograph presents a critical commentary on societal structures. Editor: It's immediately striking—the stark contrast in the cross-hatching really throws the figures into high relief, almost theatrical. Curator: Exactly. Note the juxtaposition. On the left, the well-dressed observe laborers toiling beneath the imposing "Banque France" inscription. It's about economic disparity. Editor: Yes, there's an undeniable tension. The dark lines suggest a kind of oppression, a weight bearing down on those workers. Curator: Daumier often used his art to critique the bourgeoisie and their relationship with the working class, highlighting their exploitation for financial gain. Editor: The composition directs our eye from the privileged onlookers to the bending workers, emphasizing their plight. It's cleverly constructed visual rhetoric. Curator: It prompts us to think about who benefits from the "new cellars" and at what cost. Editor: It leaves a lingering unease, a sense of injustice frozen in ink.