Lecture by the Prefect c. 19th century

Curator: This is Honoré Daumier’s “Lecture by the Prefect,” a lithograph held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The composition feels very intimate, almost claustrophobic, despite the size of the room. There's a tight clustering of figures and furniture. Curator: Daumier was a master of social satire, and here, he uses the setting of a private reading to critique the political discourse of the time, hinting at its stuffiness and perhaps its irrelevance. Editor: The use of line is striking; it's very economical, yet manages to convey a sense of individual character. Note how the expressions are rendered with such minimal means. Curator: Absolutely. It's a commentary on the performative nature of power and the selective engagement of the elite. Editor: For me, it's the quality of the mark-making that truly captures the eye. Curator: The work offers insights into 19th-century French society. Editor: Indeed, a fine study of character and society told through lines.