Moi je suis ravitaillé!... 1871

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, titled "Moi je suis ravitaillé!...," which translates to "I am replenished!... The rest doesn't matter to me." Daumier made a career out of portraying French society, particularly the bourgeoisie, with unflinching satire. During the July Monarchy in France, there was an obsession with wealth and material comforts, which fueled the Industrial Revolution but also created great class disparities. Here, Daumier critiques the self-satisfied greed of the well-fed, well-to-do man at the table, oblivious to the needs and suffering of others. It's hard not to consider how the man's indifference might implicate the viewer. Do we find ourselves in this caricature? Are we implicated in a system that prioritizes some while ignoring others? Daumier invites us to consider our own positions within society and perhaps inspires a desire to create a world where everyone has access to a seat at the table.