Jadis c'était différent 1867

Editor: This is Honoré Daumier’s 1867 lithograph "Jadis c'était différent." It’s a print showing figures in a street scene, with one man kneeling beside a carriage. I'm struck by how much the heavy lines contribute to a sense of, well, maybe desperation? What do you see in the piece, considered purely as an arrangement of forms and lines? Curator: It's a piece driven by contrast. Note the dynamism injected through the composition’s stark juxtapositions, not just light and dark, but also the figure’s pronounced curvature against the architectural lines of the carriage and the posture of the standing figures. Does this not introduce an implied tension, perhaps even an implied narrative, built solely from its formal structure? Editor: Absolutely. The bowed figure really leaps out against those static bodies behind him. It’s almost like Daumier's exaggerated perspective intensifies the drama. How much does the technique inform that exaggerated sense? Curator: Precisely. Observe how Daumier masterfully employs cross-hatching to build depth and texture. This is an area the artist excels in, enriching the image plane through what amounts to structural mark-making and line variation. Editor: That use of cross-hatching to describe form… I hadn’t fully appreciated the impact. Curator: Daumier utilizes lithography to explore and interrogate social mores, using only stark value relationships, and the dynamism suggested by the composition. Do you think the lack of color information impacts our assessment? Editor: It might actually intensify it, because we look closely at composition and use of values as shape. Curator: Indeed, removing color encourages this concentrated reading of line and form as the primary language of the piece. Now that we've looked at line, shape, and formal relationships, hopefully viewers now share a richer and more formal appreciation of this engaging artwork! Editor: Yes, understanding the dialogue between figure and form really does enhance its narrative force!