La Maman - Est-il gentil a manger son sucre d'orge!... 1838

Curator: Honoré Daumier's lithograph, "La Maman - Est-il gentil a manger son sucre d'orge!... " dates from 1838, offering a snapshot of Parisian life. What’s your initial take? Editor: Struck by the darkness—or, should I say, the *density* of the dark lines, contrasted with these pools of blank paper. A definite feeling of tension, maybe a hint of claustrophobia, even though it depicts a seemingly ordinary street scene with figures. What is hidden, behind the masks of society? Curator: I am drawn to that contrast too. The lithographic technique, with its bold lines, heightens the caricatured effect. It's part of a series called “Croquis d’Expressions”, isn’t it intriguing how the expressions of greed and judgment are intertwined here, in the adult faces overlooking this young boy with his barley sugar treat. It's almost Dickensian, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Oh, utterly. You can taste the societal disapproval. It seems like a condemnation—but there's also a level of humor that creeps in. Do you sense the visual rhythm created by the repeated diagonal lines—in the dress folds, the hatching, and even the placement of figures? It leads your eye. Almost theatrical, I might suggest, maybe we the observers, are we really part of the critique? Curator: Absolutely. Consider also, barley sugar was often seen as a lower-class treat. Daumier often used these items to highlight the growing social and economic divide during this period. The woman and man's critical gaze carries this unspoken message. The hat of the boy vs the hat of the gentleman is such a clear display of societal layers... Do you find it cynical? Editor: Both cynical and empathetic. Daumier understood the power dynamics. And despite all the crosshatching and lines etching judgement onto their faces, there's vulnerability. It is this contrast between outward judgment and inward frailty that leaves me unsure of what, if anything, the painting tells us. Curator: A complex ambiguity. It definitely challenges our preconceived notions. Editor: Indeed. An afternoon of observation, made unexpectedly intense, in that wonderful 19th-century Daumier manner.