Désolé ... Je suis de la société des philantropes du nord ... c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph mocking social structures and institutions in 19th-century France. Here, Daumier critiques the notion of selective philanthropy. In the image, we see a well-dressed man, a member of the 'Northern Philanthropists Society,' turning away a poor woman and her children. The text below translates to: "Sorry, my good woman, I can do nothing for you. I only give to the poor of Kamchatka!" Daumier uses visual codes to highlight the hypocrisy of the upper class, who would rather donate to far-off lands than help those in need in their own cities. France in the 1800s was a society with vast economic disparities, and Daumier often used his art to comment on these social injustices. His work frequently appeared in satirical magazines, allowing him to reach a broad audience and challenge the status quo. To fully understand Daumier's commentary, we can research the philanthropic societies of the time, read period newspapers, and study other works by the artist. Contextualizing this image with an awareness of social conditions is a job for the historian.