"Let's not be quite that bourgeois...at least admire this Courbet!" 1865

Curator: Daumier’s lithograph, "Let's not be quite that bourgeois...at least admire this Courbet!" feels so raw, almost like a snapshot of social discomfort. What strikes you first? Editor: The sheer desperation in the figures' expressions. One man physically restraining the other, presumably to force admiration of Courbet, really highlights the conflict between artistic appreciation and social expectations. Curator: Absolutely. Daumier, always the social critic, uses this scene to comment on the bourgeoisie's often performative engagement with art. Courbet, of course, was a controversial figure. Editor: And Daumier, through his art, interrogates whose tastes and perspectives are valued. It speaks volumes about the politics of taste, particularly during that period of social upheaval. Curator: It's fascinating how this one image encapsulates such complex cultural dynamics. Editor: Indeed, this piece is a small window into a larger conversation about art, class, and the struggle for cultural legitimacy.