“- Defendant! Do you have any means of living? - Thank you Mr President.... I have quite a good stomach,” plate 4 La Comédie Humaine 1843

Editor: We're looking at a lithograph by Honoré Daumier from 1843, titled “- Defendant! Do you have any means of living? - Thank you Mr President…. I have quite a good stomach,” part of the La Comédie Humaine series. There's a striking simplicity to the image, yet the expressions are so pointed. What's your read on it? Curator: Well, what immediately grabs me is how Daumier distills such complex social commentary into seemingly simple lines. It’s a masterclass in sardonic wit, isn’t it? Consider the period. It's France, post-revolution, supposedly embracing liberty, but riddled with inequality. Editor: Exactly. So, is this just about a funny courtroom scene, or is there a deeper criticism at play? Curator: Oh, deeper indeed! Think of the phrase “La Comédie Humaine” itself - it is the overarching title of Balzac’s collected works attempting to depict all of French society, right? Daumier's imagery becomes a microcosm of the entire human condition; The accused says he has a good stomach; in essence a healthy appetite is enough for him. So he implies the legal system isn't feeding him...or perhaps the whole social structure fails to ensure survival. What do *you* make of it? Editor: I see a powerful indictment of a system that fails to provide even basic sustenance. The crude sketch and the cynical joke underscores that disconnect perfectly. Curator: Precisely! That's the genius of Daumier. The casual brutality masked with dark humour, lingering like a bitter aftertaste, making one think beyond just a surface read. Editor: I didn't think it would hit this hard! Thanks! I won’t look at satire the same way now.