La Partie de volant 1869

Curator: Daumier's 1869 lithograph, "La Partie de Volant", offers a satirical commentary on the delicate dance between war and peace in Europe. Editor: It's stark. The way the figures are positioned suggests a push and pull. It’s unsettling. Curator: Note how Daumier uses the visual language of classical allegory, drawing on familiar tropes of Peace and War. Peace, on the right, with her olive branch, is set against War, armed with a spear. It becomes more interesting when seen within the longer history of such allegories. Editor: Interesting that he puts the words, the actual text labels on them. Do you think that maybe speaks to who his intended audience was? The broader population perhaps wouldn't know these allegorical representations as easily as someone in power. Curator: Precisely. These archetypes were used in academic painting, sculpture, popular prints, emblems, etc. The game of badminton, which could be compared to how "Volant" can also refer to flight or momentum, becomes a symbol for the precarious balance between these forces, especially when taking into account the history that led to the Franco Prussian War and its lasting impact. Note the "Europe" in gear-like machinery. Editor: I find it cynical, that Daumier has given it this title like a polite game of badminton but underneath, it is quite literally weaponized in this depiction. It also critiques Europe as a machine churning with conflict. There are very strong activist critiques being put on display. Curator: Yes, Daumier presents us with something more complex than a simple opposition. In the expressions, and the compositions that each actor performs on the stage of international politics and tensions, we observe not binary opposites, but rather points on a spectrum. Editor: Looking at it now, the piece reads more like a perpetual state, with both powers locked in endless competition instead of simply "War versus Peace." The fact that it is always happening feels quite sad and true. Curator: The symbolism gives this print a lot of nuance. The lasting power of these images lets them keep influencing viewers, making sure the discussions continue. Editor: Definitely something to ponder about, it still continues to make a valuable intervention into contemporary discourse.