Ca mord, quelle chance! Je vous défends ... c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, "Ca mord, quelle chance!" in France during the 19th century. The print depicts members of a fishing club, highlighting social hierarchies and the pretensions of the bourgeoisie. Daumier uses caricature to emphasize the physical features and postures of the figures, visually signaling their social status and self-importance. The title translates to "It bites, what luck! I forbid you to catch a fish before me, don't forget that I am your vice-president." This suggests that social rank trumps the supposed egalitarianism of the fishing club, revealing the subtle but ever-present class dynamics of French society at the time. To truly understand Daumier's critique, one might research the rise of social clubs in 19th-century France and their role in solidifying class distinctions. The print serves as a reminder that artistic meaning is always tied to its social and institutional context.