Je croyais que c'était plus amusant que ça... 1845

This lithograph by Honoré Daumier, titled "I thought it was more fun than this...watering his flowers during the heat wave!" presents us with a perspiring figure during what the French call "la canicule." Daumier lived through considerable political upheaval in 19th century France. His experience witnessing the 1830 July Revolution and the subsequent 1848 Revolution deeply shaped his artistic vision. His prints often satirized the bourgeoisie, who had ascended to power. Here, the subject’s disheveled appearance and weary posture mock the leisure and pastoral ideals associated with the wealthy. Daumier transforms a seemingly simple scene into a commentary on class and labor. The sentiment expressed by the figure—disillusionment with the supposed pleasures of leisure—highlights the stark contrast between the lived realities of the working class and the romanticized notions of the elite.