Schrijfster maakt zichzelf bekend aan theaterpubliek 1844

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, "Schrijfster maakt zichzelf bekend aan theaterpubliek," meaning "Writer introduces herself to theater audience" likely in the 1840s, in France. Daumier was known for his satirical commentary on French society, often targeting the bourgeoisie and its cultural institutions. This image creates meaning through visual codes of gender and class; the 'bluestocking' writer, a term for intellectual women, is presented in a somewhat caricatured way, standing before a theatre audience, perhaps suggesting tensions around female authorship and public performance in that moment in France. The reactions of the audience can be seen as commentary on the social role of women. We can imagine that the image is a product of the specific social and political context of France at the time. The July Revolution of 1830, for example, had ushered in a period of relative political freedom, during which the press flourished and public discourse became more open. Understanding this artwork better would require looking at periodicals and other printed matter from the time, to explore the prevailing attitudes towards women, class, and culture.