Un amour propre satisfait c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier's lithograph, "Un amour propre satisfait," presents us with a bourgeois man, engrossed in his newspaper, seemingly content. The composition is structured by contrasting textures: from the fine hatching that defines the man's face and clothing to the broader, more emphatic strokes that give form to the newspaper. The man is central, and his self-satisfied demeanor anchors the scene. The lines that form his features are soft, yet there is a clear emphasis on volume and form, characteristic of Daumier's approach to caricature. Daumier here engages with a semiotic system of signs, critiquing the bourgeoisie through visual codes of posture and leisure. The texture and weight of the lithographic medium underscore the physical presence of the image, while the man’s gaze invites us to question not just what he reads but how he interprets the world around him, reinforcing the idea that art is a medium for both representation and critique.