Vrouw wandelt 's nachts haar bed uit 1844

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, "Vrouw wandelt 's nachts haar bed uit," which translates to "Woman walking out of her bed at night," in 19th-century France, a period of significant social and political change. Daumier was well known for his satirical commentary on French society. In this intimate scene, a woman is depicted sleepwalking, holding a candle, while a man slumbers in the background, seemingly oblivious. The image, rendered with stark contrasts of light and shadow, uses the visual codes of domesticity to explore deeper themes of anxiety, vulnerability, and perhaps the hidden realities within bourgeois life. Daumier’s work often critiqued the social structures of his time, and his prints appeared in journals like "Le Charivari", connecting art directly to public discourse. Historians use sources like these journals and period accounts to understand the social context in which Daumier operated, shedding light on the artist's role as both observer and critic of his era.