Le Président de Rhodes 1871

This is Honoré Daumier’s lithograph, "Le Président de Rhodes." Daumier was a master of satire, who used his art to comment on the social and political issues of 19th-century France. This print is part of a series called "Actualités," published in the newspaper Le Charivari. Here, Daumier depicts Adolphe Thiers, who was president of France during a tumultuous period that included the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune. Thiers is drawn as a colossal figure, reminiscent of the Colossus of Rhodes, an ancient Greek statue. He's straddling two cliffs, which bear the names of regions of France, in an effort to control the turbulent waters below, symbolized by a small ship. Daumier is commenting on Thiers' attempts to stabilize the country after a period of great unrest. Through the exaggerated features and the heroic yet absurd posture, Daumier critiques Thiers' leadership. The print is both a political statement and a reflection of the anxieties and uncertainties of the time. It invites us to consider the relationship between power, representation, and the public mood.