Une Représentation a bénéfice 1844

"Une Représentation a Bénéfice" is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, created in 1844. Daumier, renowned for his social commentary, satirizes the theater and its inherent financial exploitation in this artwork. Two figures, likely a wealthy patron and an impoverished actor, engage in a conversation rife with irony and satire. Daumier's signature hatching technique imbues the scene with a sense of realism and highlights the facial expressions of the characters, capturing the complex emotions at play. This lithograph is a masterful example of Daumier's ability to expose the darker side of societal structures through humor and visual wit.