Ou l'on reconnait ... un ancien pharmacien c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Honoré Daumier's lithograph from around the 19th century, "Ou l'on reconnait...un ancien pharmacien"—"Where one easily recognizes an old pharmacist." The scene is quite humorous; a stout figure seems to be feeding something to a dog. What social commentary do you see in this work? Curator: This caricature allows us to examine the power dynamics inherent in social roles. Daumier often critiqued the bourgeoisie. Is he perhaps suggesting that the pharmacist, now "retired", is reduced to interactions usually reserved for the lower classes, like feeding a stray dog? Consider the man's exaggerated features and posture. What do they communicate to you? Editor: I see almost a desperate desire for connection, or maybe condescension. The figure's exaggerated stance seems both pathetic and arrogant. It seems critical of class pretensions. Curator: Precisely! Daumier uses visual cues to dissect class and profession. He also questions the perceived stability of social roles. What does it mean when a pharmacist is 'no longer' a pharmacist? Is Daumier exploring anxieties about losing one's identity after retirement? Perhaps he saw social mobility as inherently precarious. Editor: That makes me consider the role of the dog itself – maybe it represents the pharmacist's clientele, still reliant on him but now on a much smaller, almost subservient scale? Curator: An intriguing perspective! It suggests a continuity of needing to care for dependents, regardless of one's formal social standing. Thinking about this artwork in relation to societal structures encourages me to question how social hierarchies affect individual agency and personal dignity. Editor: I hadn't considered it that way before! It is quite revealing how Daumier packs so much into a single sketch. Thanks!