Un Jour de Grande Tenue 1844

"Un Jour de Grande Tenue" (1844) is a lithograph by the French artist Honoré Daumier, renowned for his satirical depictions of social and political life. Daumier's caricature of two men in military attire, one saluting the other, utilizes exaggerated features and poses to lampoon the absurdity of societal hierarchies. The caption, "Je crois avoir annat un petit am légèrement vinille garde" (I believe I have a small friend slightly drunk on guard duty), adds a layer of humor and criticism to the work, suggesting that even in times of war and authority, there is still room for the human foibles of carelessness and intoxication. This lithograph, a prime example of Daumier's social commentary, encapsulates the artist's keen eye for the imperfections and hypocrisies of 19th-century French society.