Plusieurs gardes nationaux qui n'avaient pas songé... 1848

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, titled "Plusieurs gardes nationaux qui n'avaient pas songé...," which translates to "Several national guards who had not considered...", sometime in the 19th century. Daumier was a master of social commentary, and here he turns his satirical eye to the French National Guard. The image depicts guardsmen overcome with seasickness on a boat. The guards were essentially a civilian militia, often drawn from the middle classes, and Daumier was highly critical of their role in suppressing popular uprisings. Through the visual code of exaggerated expressions and slumped postures, Daumier mocks their unpreparedness and discomfort. The lithograph was created during a time of political turbulence in France, following the July Revolution of 1830, when the National Guard was a prominent force. By portraying them in such an unflattering light, Daumier critiques their authority and challenges the prevailing social order. To fully understand Daumier’s commentary, we can look to historical archives and political cartoons of the time. Art, as this print demonstrates, is inseparable from its social and institutional context.