“It is war! ...Everyone for himself!,” plate 460 1835

Editor: Honoré Daumier's lithograph from 1835, “It is war! …Everyone for himself!,” depicts this almost absurd embrace. It strikes me as darkly funny, with a definite critique of… something. I'm curious, what stands out to you when you look at this piece? Curator: Oh, Daumier. A master of the pointed barb disguised as visual entertainment! This lithograph practically shouts its message. What I find striking is how he uses caricature – those exaggerated features – to deflate the pomp and circumstance of war. And tell me, does anything about the figure emerging from the doorway grab your attention? Editor: Definitely, with that panicked expression. Is he supposed to represent the common people? Curator: Precisely! Trapped, fearful. He’s in stark contrast to the… shall we say *enthusiastic* embrace of those central figures. It’s like a stage play, isn’t it? Almost farcical, especially with that "GUERRE" book lying discarded on the floor. Do you see the officers as being genuinely passionate in their embrace, or is it something else entirely? Editor: It feels performative, like they're acting for an audience. So, Daumier’s critiquing not just war, but the… theatre of it all? Curator: Exactly! It's the political elites, the ruling classes, engaging in these power games while the ordinary citizens are left to bear the consequences. And isn't that a story as old as time itself? This single image kind of encapsulates a timeless frustration. Editor: Wow, seeing it like that, it's a lot more layered than I initially thought. A deceptively simple image holding so much biting commentary. Curator: Daumier always has something up his sleeve, doesn't he? It’s a gift really: to make profound statements through accessible satire.