Les fricoteurs politiques c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Honoré Daumier’s lithograph “Les fricoteurs politiques” from around the 19th century. It’s a pretty biting political cartoon. I'm struck by the character on the right, how completely over-the-top his costume is, and that stern "Constitution" tablet in the background. What can you tell me about it? Curator: It's a wonderfully loaded image! Look how Daumier uses costume – specifically, the 'Crispin' character's flamboyant dress and the military man’s uniform – to speak volumes about power, ambition, and perhaps even delusion. Who are these characters, in Daumier's mind? The print seems to tell a very interesting story. Editor: Right! It’s a commentary, it looks like the Prince shouldn’t touch the Constitution with ungloved hands, and that the “Crispin” is offering their own version? Curator: Exactly. The offering of a "glove" and the text beneath are key to decoding Daumier’s perspective. Gloves often conceal intentions or actions, mask corruption or manipulations. Also, how the artist chose the symbolic weight of 'Constitution' and then deflated its reverence using parody is revealing. Notice how it mimics the tablets of the Law. What cultural narrative is he drawing upon, do you think? Editor: The reference to the Tablets makes sense... maybe he’s drawing attention to how these figures see themselves as lawgivers, even though they might just be self-serving? Curator: Precisely! Daumier appropriates existing symbols to undermine the powerful. It’s not just political commentary, it’s about subverting the visual language of authority itself. That is what speaks across time. Editor: So the cartoon uses visual symbolism to mock those in power by comparing them to religious figures, using "Constitution" as the "sacred word?" Thanks so much for helping me see the bigger picture here. Curator: It was my pleasure.