Another way to make use of the new petticoats that have lately become fashionable, plate 294 from Actualités 1856

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, plate 294 from Actualités, at a time of rapid social and technological change in France. The print depicts a satirical take on the fashion of oversized petticoats, imagining women floating above Paris using their skirts as hot air balloons. Daumier’s work often critiqued the bourgeoisie, and here, he uses fashion to comment on the excesses and absurdities of the upper class. There is a sense of freedom and detachment in the image, but also a critique of the impracticality and superficiality of high fashion. What does it mean to literally float above the concerns of everyday life? The petticoats, symbols of femininity and status, become instruments of escape, blurring the lines between fashion, technology, and social commentary. Through satire, Daumier touches on themes of gender, class, and the rapid modernization of society. It reflects both the allure and the alienation of modern life.