Un nouveau théatre modèle c. 19th century

Editor: So, this is Honoré Daumier's lithograph, "Un nouveau théâtre modèle" from around the 19th century. The scene shows an audience at the theatre. What jumps out at me is how...uncomfortable everyone looks, especially the figure in the center! What’s your take on it? Curator: Uncomfortable is spot on. Daumier's a master of the subtle jab, isn't he? He was always skewering Parisian society, finding the humor, and the discomfort, in the everyday. This piece isn't just about going to the theatre, is it? It’s about social critique. It looks like Daumier feels this experience may be unbearable, like having to be still and conform is physically crushing some audience members. Editor: Absolutely. It’s like, the artist crammed everyone in like sardines. Was Daumier aiming at a specific audience or just theatre-goers in general? Curator: Oh, I think he's targeting a certain bourgeois stuffiness. Notice the prominent bellies, the pinched expressions? Are we looking at actual misery here? Or have these patrons' standards become ridiculously high? Editor: I guess it's a bit of both! Looking closer, you see each figure has such a distinct, almost grotesque expression. It makes me wonder what Daumier himself thought of these performances. Curator: Precisely! He uses caricature to exaggerate those individual quirks. His sympathy probably waned every time someone fussed over a bad performance after a nice dinner. Perhaps we shouldn't only feel sympathy. He had a sharp eye, and even sharper wit! What did you make of the use of light? Editor: The way the light falls really heightens the drama, creating contrast. It emphasizes the expressions, those worried and grumpy faces. So, it kind of directs your eye...and adds to that uncomfortable mood. I see that! Curator: I see you do! Daumier nudges us toward empathy, sure, but also asks us to laugh at this shared, somewhat absurd human experience. It's social commentary disguised as… well, a slightly unsettling theatre trip. Editor: Definitely gave me a new way to consider how theatre-going could become fodder for comedy and also critique. Thanks!