Air connu: Oh! Richard, Oh! Mon roi ... c. 19th century

Here we see Honoré Daumier’s lithograph, in which powerful symbols of authority are upended in a whirlwind of political satire. The central figure is supported by two allegorical characters. The first, wearing a jester's hat, is emblazoned with the words "Univers Relic..." hinting at abandoned universal beliefs. The second, armed with a mallet, menacingly represents Justice. These figures, pulling and propping up the central character, evoke images of Atlas straining under the weight of the world, but here, they are burdened by political instability. Consider how the motif of the burdened figure recurs throughout art history, from classical depictions of Atlas to Renaissance allegories of the seasons, each time adapting to reflect shifting cultural anxieties. Daumier uses this historical symbolism to critique the French monarchy with biting humor, questioning traditional structures of power through a psychologically charged image of political struggle. Notice how the figures’ exaggerated expressions convey the emotional turmoil of a society in flux. The symbols, though specific to their time, mirror the cyclical nature of history, underscoring how collective memory and subconscious associations shape our understanding of authority and its discontents.