Comedy scene (scene from Molière) 1862

Honoré Daumier, in nineteenth-century France, made this oil on canvas, “Comedy Scene (scene from Molière).” Daumier, a true man of the people, was known for his satirical lithographs that skewered the bourgeoisie. Here, though, we find him exploring the world of theater, depicting figures likely drawn from the plays of Molière, a master of French comedy. It’s interesting to consider this work in the context of the social function of art. Was Daumier, through his art, aiming to critique the social structures of his time? Was he a self-consciously progressive artist, using imagery to challenge existing norms? These are the kinds of questions that drive art historians. By researching the historical, social, and institutional contexts in which art is made, we can arrive at a richer, more nuanced understanding of its meaning and significance.