Il parait que les clubs vont être ... fermés ... c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, titled 'It seems the clubs will be completely closed...', in France in 1849. Daumier was a master of social satire, and this image encapsulates the anxieties around the role of women in the political clubs that emerged during the Second Republic. The caption tells us the women are socialists, while the accompanying text suggests that the authorities are planning to close the clubs. The woman on the left, in her nightgown, expresses shock at the news, while the other, seated, is absorbed in her newspaper. This is a moment of political awakening for women. The establishment of the clubs and their subsequent suppression reflect the contradictions within French society at this time. Historians consult newspapers, pamphlets, and police records to reconstruct the political landscape and discover the identities of individuals involved in the socialist clubs. Only through this kind of research can we fully appreciate Daumier's commentary on the changing role of women in mid-nineteenth-century France.