"There's one of them, he could really be unfortunate..." 1862

Curator: Look at this lithograph, "There's one of them, he could really be unfortunate..." by Honoré Daumier, housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. It really captures a mood, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely, there's such a melancholic atmosphere hanging in the air. The stark contrasts in the lithography emphasizes the despondency of the moment. Curator: Daumier's mastery lies in using readily available materials and reproducible techniques to critique the social structures of 19th-century France, making art accessible. This work specifically seems to delve into class. Editor: I love the body language of the characters, the bent posture of the man drinking; it is as though it is burdened by the world. Curator: Right, it highlights the worker's plight through mass production—a poignant social commentary using simple, inexpensive means. Editor: A visual story of silent desperation. It makes you wonder about the weight of those unseen burdens they carried.