“- I bought this ground at 1 franc per square meter, and I'll sell it again at 9 francs. - To whom? - The name does not matter as long as I make 8 francs on the square meter... after all, it's not excessive, a square meter on the Boulevard Montmartre costs 600 francs! - Yes, but this section here is uninhabited. - What do you mean, there are more than 20'000 rabbits living here,” plate 1 from Les Spéculateurs 1857

Curator: Immediately, I am struck by the contrast of light and dark, the quick, gestural lines that somehow coalesce into recognizable forms. It has a nervous energy, doesn’t it? Editor: That nervous energy perfectly encapsulates Daumier's sharp social critique. What we are looking at is plate one from “Les Spéculateurs”, a lithograph completed in 1857 by Honoré Daumier. Curator: The title seems ironic considering what is obviously at play. Editor: Precisely! The print's caption gives context. One character, standing and impeccably dressed, explains to another, seated on the ground, his plans to buy land cheaply and resell it at a massive profit. He waves away the detail that it's uninhabited—except, he quips, for 20,000 rabbits! Curator: Daumier skewers the get-rich-quick schemes prevalent during the rapid urbanization of Paris. His focus extends to critiquing class divisions and exploitation. Editor: Absolutely, he masterfully employs caricature to amplify his critique. Notice the contrast in attire and posture. One man towers, a picture of bourgeois confidence. The other sits, more rumpled, already "grounded" by the deal. The bare trees surrounding them could be seen as an omen of the true value - or lack thereof - of the deal itself. Curator: The stark contrast, you are right, serves as a visual shorthand for social inequality. And by implicating these two figures, and even alluding to the thousands of disregarded “rabbits”, he points to the pervasive nature of this kind of dehumanizing economic activity. This print becomes more than just a depiction; it's a call for societal awareness and reform. Editor: Considering how it reflects social conditions and raises questions about equitable access and fair labor practices, “Les Spéculateurs” seems startlingly relevant even now. Curator: Indeed. In its lines, Daumier exposes more than just figures on paper. He shows us the mechanics of inequality.