Les thèatres au mois d'aout c. 19th century

This lithograph, "Les thèatres au mois d'aout," was made by Honoré Daumier in 19th century France, a time when the theater was a central institution in Parisian society. Daumier was a keen observer of social life. The image depicts two women asleep in a deserted theater box during the summer, dreaming of crowded performances. Consider how the physical space of the theater itself reinforces social divisions. The empty benches and closed boxes highlight the absence of the usual bustling crowds, in turn, drawing attention to the stark contrast between the elite and the working class, as the caption also highlights. To fully understand Daumier's satire, one can delve into theater archives and newspaper reviews of the time. Daumier uses his art to comment on the social structures of his time. We can see how cultural institutions like the theater reflected and reinforced class distinctions in 19th-century Paris.