Tire ferme, Gaspard ... y va s'neyer ... c. 19th century

This lithograph was made by Honoré Daumier, a French printmaker, painter, and sculptor, in the 19th century. Daumier uses caricature to comment on the bourgeoisie of his time. In this print, two men in a boat are trying to 'save' a drowning woman. However, rather than pulling her in, they poke her with a pole, seemingly more interested in the reward money they'll receive for the rescue. France in the 19th century was a society undergoing rapid change, with the rise of industrial capitalism and a growing divide between the wealthy bourgeoisie and the working class. Daumier was known for his satirical depictions of Parisian life and his critiques of social injustice. His prints often appeared in newspapers, making his work accessible to a wide audience. He was frequently in trouble with the authorities because of the radical nature of his opinions. To truly understand Daumier's art, one must examine not only the formal qualities of his work but also the social and political context in which it was created. This requires research into the history of 19th-century France.