"- Oh my God, Mama, mama!........ For heaven's sake..... my daughter, my daughter!!!," plate 26 from Pastorales 1845

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, plate 26 from Pastorales, sometime in the mid-19th century. Through his caricatures, Daumier critiqued the bourgeoisie's aspirations. His work provides insight into the social dynamics of 19th-century France. Here, we see a chaotic scene: a woman thrown from a donkey, arms raised in distress, while her mother reacts with exaggerated horror. In the background, a bourgeois man remains calmly seated on his donkey, seemingly detached from the turmoil. The print invites reflection on gender and class. The women’s exaggerated reactions may mock the emotional displays expected of women in that era, contrasting sharply with the man’s stoic indifference. This juxtaposition underscores the social expectations and gendered roles that Daumier often satirized. Daumier’s commentary offers a glimpse into the anxieties and performative behaviors of his time. In his depiction, the personal becomes a stage for societal critique.