"From your obedient subjects receive on your day of honor these two modest bunches of flowers. They will make you rejoice, since the people of France alone has taken over the costs," plate 486 1835

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, "From your obedient subjects receive on your day of honor these two modest bunches of flowers," as a biting commentary on French society. Daumier was known for his caricatures, often skewering the powerful and giving voice to the working class. Here, the opulence of the ruling class is contrasted with the burden carried by the common people. The woman, weighed down by flowers representing exorbitant taxes, embodies the exploitation of the working class. The grotesque figures of the elite, accepting these "gifts," highlight the corruption and detachment of the ruling class. Daumier masterfully uses satire to expose the social and economic inequalities of his time. The artwork isn't just a snapshot of a moment; it's an emotional outcry against injustice. He challenges the traditional representations of power and privilege, offering an alternative narrative that sides with the oppressed. Daumier’s lithograph invites us to reflect on the relationship between those in power and those they govern, and to consider who bears the weight of societal structures.