“- I don't want your credits... the expiration date is on the 15th of June and the world is supposed to end on the 13th,” plate 2 from La Cométe De 1857 1857

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph as part of his series "La Comète de 1857". He used it to satirize French society's reaction to the widely predicted, but ultimately non-existent, end of the world. Daumier was a master of social commentary. Here, he uses caricature to highlight the absurdity of human behavior in the face of existential dread. Made in France, the image reflects the anxieties of the time, blending superstition with the emerging capitalist economy. We see a common man refusing to buy a theater ticket, pointing out its expiration date comes after the predicted apocalypse. Daumier's work often appeared in popular journals like "Le Charivari", thus critiquing social norms for a broad audience. To fully grasp the layers of meaning in Daumier’s art, we can turn to sources like contemporary newspapers and political pamphlets that illuminate the cultural climate of 19th-century France. This piece acts as a reminder that art is always in dialogue with its social and institutional context.