"Wife, since we don't have the time to see everything in one day..." 1859

Curator: This lithograph by Honoré Daumier, titled "Wife, since we don't have the time to see everything in one day…", captures a scene from the Exposition of 1859. I love the casual humor! Editor: It feels claustrophobic, doesn’t it? All those faces tilted up, crammed into this space, like sardines in a very fashionable can. There's a kind of desperation to see and be seen, isn't there? Curator: Absolutely. Daumier was a master of social satire. Look at how he uses line and shadow to emphasize the expressions of the crowd, a sea of top hats and bonnets all craning for a better view. Editor: It also speaks to a timeless dilemma—the pressure to consume culture, to experience everything, even when it becomes overwhelming. I wonder, did they ever get to share what they saw? Or did they just collapse from exhaustion? Curator: One suspects Daumier would appreciate the irony if we felt the same way trying to take it all in today. Editor: Indeed, perhaps we should all just pick a side.