An Amateur Concert c. 19th century

Curator: Well, isn’t this Dupré print, "An Amateur Concert," delightfully bizarre? What strikes you first about it? Editor: The animals, definitely! They are all gathered playing instruments and singing, it's so strange. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It's a wonderfully absurd commentary, I think, on human artistic endeavors. Notice the owl as conductor – a symbol of wisdom, perhaps wryly observing the chaos? The monkey struggling with the clarinet… Editor: You're right, the owl is so still and poised! It makes the monkey seem even more ridiculous, poor thing. It makes you think about how seriously we take our own creative efforts, doesn't it? Curator: Precisely! It’s a reminder to find the humor in our passions. Editor: I'll definitely look at amateur concerts differently now!