A caricature of Sarah Bernhardt  as a stick with a little sponge above her head 

Georges Jules Victor Clairin made this caricature of Sarah Bernhardt, the celebrated French stage actress, using graphite on paper. The exaggerated elongation and simplification of her figure speaks to the cultural phenomenon she had become. Bernhardt was more than just a performer; she was a brand, a symbol of French artistry and, arguably, female empowerment in the late 19th century. This image was made during a time when print media flourished in France, facilitating both the rise of celebrity culture and its critique through satire. Caricatures like this were a staple of newspapers and journals, and they played a significant role in shaping public perceptions of prominent figures. The choice to represent her as a simple stick figure can be interpreted in many ways. Perhaps it's poking fun at the perceived artificiality of stage personas or maybe highlighting her remarkable ability to captivate audiences with minimal physical presence. To fully grasp the nuances of this image, one could delve into theatre reviews, biographies of Bernhardt, and studies of French visual culture from the era. The meaning of art always depends on its historical and institutional context.