Ne sachant plus comment utiliser leurs loisirs ... c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Honoré Daumier’s lithograph, “Ne sachant plus comment utiliser leurs loisirs...” made sometime in the 19th century. What strikes me is how frantic the lines are, almost like they're struggling to contain the chaos of the scene. What’s your take? Curator: Well, let's start with the material itself. Lithography, a relatively new technology at the time, allowed for mass production of images. This print wasn't intended for a gallery wall, but rather as part of a newspaper or journal. It was destined to be consumed, discarded, part of the daily churn. Editor: So it was really about bringing art to the masses, not creating something precious? Curator: Exactly! Daumier used this readily available material to engage with pressing social and political issues. Look closely; what kind of clothing do you observe on these figures? Editor: Well, they seem to be wearing outfits from the middle class of the period... Curator: And what does that suggest? That Daumier isn’t depicting some heroic, distant history, but rather a scene from contemporary life, highlighting perhaps a commentary about leisure and social interactions of this class. Editor: It seems that what truly mattered wasn't about artful preservation, but immediate interaction with everyday materials of society. It encourages me to reconsider how labour and its material outcome connects us to societal values. Curator: Precisely. By focusing on the material conditions of the work – the print medium, the means of production, and its intended consumption – we can unravel its connection to the socio-political context.