Une Heureuse nouvelle 1844

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph of two men, likely in France, during the 19th century. Through the medium of lithography, Daumier was able to create many impressions of this image, disseminating his social critique to a wide audience through journals such as Le Charivari. The print depicts two bourgeois men, recognizable through their formal dress. One man, balding with a large nose and protruding belly, clasps the hand of a thinner, taller man. The title, *Une Heureuse nouvelle*, or *A Happy Announcement*, suggests the men are celebrating some event. Daumier’s caricatures often poked fun at the French upper classes. We might consider this image through the lens of the 1830s July Revolution, or the subsequent 1848 Revolution, which established a short-lived Second Republic. These moments of upheaval transformed French social life, impacting class structure, and cultural institutions. By studying publications such as Le Charivari, we can better understand the social and political contexts that shaped Daumier's art and its reception.