Monsieur par suite de la fusion c. 19th century

This is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, which encapsulates the essence of social satire, depicting a scene of financial transaction loaded with irony. The corpulent figure on the left, with his expansive gesture, embodies a caricature of bourgeois affluence, while the second man, hunched over a desk, seems to be receiving a sum. This act of giving, seemingly generous, echoes ancient motifs of beneficence seen in Roman sculptures, yet here, it is twisted, tainted by the implied self-interest and corruption. The motif of the hand offering payment, has been with us since antiquity. Consider the ritualistic offerings to deities in ancient temples or even the act of paying Judas, a powerful symbol of betrayal. Daumier, like a psychoanalyst, digs into the collective subconscious, revealing the hidden anxieties and moral ambiguities of his time. The seemingly generous figure here is not dispensing selfless charity but likely reinforcing his power and influence through this act. This resonates with the cyclical progression of power, masked as altruism, perpetually resurfacing in different social contexts throughout history.