La hache qui le coupera n'est pas encore trempée 1871

This political cartoon, "La hache qui le coupera n'est pas encore trempée," by Honoré Daumier, satirizes the fragile state of universal suffrage in 19th-century France. Daumier, living through periods of revolution and political upheaval, used his art to critique the powerful. Here, universal suffrage is represented by a large, imposing tree, suggesting strength and longevity. But the presence of the court jester, a figure often associated with mockery, and the axe lying at the base of the tree, hint at underlying instability. The jester seems to be guarding the tree, but is he really protecting it or simply delaying the inevitable? This image embodies the anxieties and ironies of democratic ideals. Daumier captures the precarious balance between hope and skepticism. The cartoon encourages us to question how power is wielded, and the ongoing struggle to realize true equality.