Mom isn't here because you returned before five o'clock . . . c. 19th century

Curator: Gavarni's lithograph, "Mom isn't here because you returned before five o'clock . . .," captures a domestic scene, and the scratchy, quick lines lend a feeling of immediacy, don't you think? Editor: It's all about the printing process! Lithography allowed for these detailed, reproducible images, flooding the market and shaping social commentary in new ways. Curator: There's such tenderness in the father's stance, even if his words are a mild rebuke. It feels like he's trying to navigate the space between parent and friend. Editor: I'm more interested in the son's attire. The hat hints at a specific trade, a clue to the family's class and the labor he might be involved in. Curator: Maybe it’s the way light and shadow dance, but there's a whole narrative tucked into this small scene. Editor: Exactly, and mass production enabled a wider audience to interpret it.