Les Baigneuses prudentes 1847

"Les Baigneuses prudentes" (1847) is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier that depicts three women wading in water. The central figure is a heavy-set woman wearing a plaid dress, while the woman on the right wears a life preserver. The figure on the left is submerged in the water and appears to be struggling. This satirical work, typical of Daumier’s style, uses exaggeration and humor to comment on the social and physical anxieties of the time. The lithograph is a humorous portrayal of the anxieties of a bygone era, with the women's oversized clothing and the woman struggling in the water serving as comedic devices. The work highlights Daumier’s mastery of lithography, a medium he used to create impactful social commentary.