Un Déménagement furtif 1847

"Un Déménagement furtif" (1847), a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, exemplifies the artist's signature satirical style. This image depicts three figures engaged in a clandestine move. The central figure, shrouded in a plaid blanket and carrying a hat, is being "furtively" moved by two other men. The scene's humor lies in the absurdity of the situation, the subtle expressions of the men, and the exaggerated proportions of the figures. Daumier's masterful use of light and shadow enhances the mysterious and secretive tone, drawing the viewer into the action. Daumier's works were often critical of contemporary social issues, and this lithograph is no exception, likely commenting on the challenges and injustices faced by the working class in 19th-century France.