Ce pauvre Louis XIV n'en croyant pas ses yeux 1871

Curator: Welcome! Let's take a moment to appreciate this print, "Ce pauvre Louis XIV n'en croyant pas ses yeux"—or "Poor Louis XIV Not Believing His Eyes"—by Honoré Daumier, created in 1871. Daumier was, of course, a master of social commentary through lithography. Editor: Woah, there's a lot to take in with this image. The movement is fantastic, right? This bewildered Louis looks like he's literally being blasted off his horse by...well, by something unseen but powerful. It feels both absurd and almost apocalyptic! Curator: Exactly. Daumier crafted this during a turbulent period. The Franco-Prussian War had just ended, the Second Empire had collapsed, and the Third Republic was struggling to establish itself. Louis XIV here represents the old order, the absolute monarchy, and the title suggests, that old order can't comprehend, doesn't believe, what's happening. Editor: I love how the radiating lines practically shove him away from that imposing doorway labeled "République Française Assemblée Nationale." The horse looks more spooked than noble; they're both relics suddenly faced with modernity, this terrifying *idea* of a republic. Curator: It's a brutal but effective visual metaphor. Daumier keenly observed the socio-political shifts and expressed his republican sentiments. The print satirizes the longing for the past, the nostalgia for monarchy in a nation grappling with revolutionary change. He cleverly used caricature to strip away any romantic notions surrounding Louis XIV. Editor: What’s so interesting too is how current this feels. This terrified resistance to change. This inability to recognize reality when its literally slapping you in the face. Makes you think what exactly are *we* in denial of now? Curator: I agree. Daumier’s work then really encapsulates a particular historical moment but certainly carries an important reflection for viewers today. Editor: It's both historically specific and eerily universal. Quite a potent image!