Un discours fatiguant pour le président c. 19th century

This caricature was created by Honoré Daumier in 1849 using lithography. The composition is bisected horizontally, presenting two contrasting scenes of political life. The upper panel depicts a speaker delivering what the title suggests is a "tiring speech for the president". Daumier uses exaggerated physiognomy and posture to convey meaning. The speaker, perched precariously above the assembly, gestures emphatically. Below, a mischievous figure uses a rod to prod the head of a stately character. Daumier’s focus on formal elements such as line and scale creates a visual language that destabilizes traditional notions of authority. The deliberate distortion of facial features and body language reduces the politicians to objects of ridicule. This undermines the gravity of their positions, rendering them comical. Through these formal manipulations, Daumier offers a critique of political theater and its participants.