The Waiter in Black Suits. Funeral of the tip box, plate 2 from Croquis Parisiens Possibly 1855

This lithograph, "The Waiter in Black Suits. Funeral of the Tip Box", is part of Honoré Daumier’s series “Croquis Parisiens”. Daumier was a French artist known for his satirical caricatures and lithographs of Parisian life in the 19th century. The artwork is a humorous commentary on the plight of Parisian waiters who were forced to rely on tips for their livelihood. In this image, the waiters are shown in a mock funeral procession, carrying a tip box in a coffin marked "Mort aux Gras" (Death to the Fat Ones). This humorous depiction satirizes the dependence on tips, while also highlighting the social inequalities of the time. The lithograph’s graphic quality and satirical tone, characteristic of Daumier's style, captured the everyday realities of Parisian life and made him a popular artist in his time.