“- Whatever became of you, Mr. Brown? - I became an unlicensed broker at the Stock Exchange...,” plate 29 from Tout Ce Qu'on Voudra 1848

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, plate 29 from Tout Ce Qu'on Voudra, in France, sometime in the mid-19th century. The print depicts a conversation between two men, one seemingly a bartender, the other, based on the title, an ousted stockbroker. Daumier was a master of social commentary, and this work encapsulates the volatile economic climate of 19th-century France and the instability of financial institutions. The reference to becoming an "unlicensed broker," or "marron," speaks to the precariousness of employment and the desperation caused by economic downturns. The print questions the unregulated nature of the stock exchange and its impact on individual lives. To fully understand this image, one must examine the history of financial markets in France during the period, referencing sources such as economic reports, political cartoons, and literature. Only then can we see how Daumier's artwork critiques the social structures of his time, challenging the status quo through satire and visual wit.