Ah! ... Comme cette cheminé fume ... c. 19th century

This lithograph was made by Honoré Daumier in 19th century France. It depicts a bourgeois couple suffering from a smoking chimney. The wife gestures dramatically towards the open window. The husband is slumped in his chair, and wryly observes that the landlord would use this as an excuse to raise the rent. This image encapsulates Daumier's social critique of the Parisian bourgeoisie, their domestic anxieties, and their fraught relationship with landlords. Such prints were popular in the illustrated press, and served as a kind of social commentary. Daumier’s work appeared in the popular journal Le Charivari, reaching a broad audience and influencing public opinion through visual satire. To better understand Daumier’s prints, you might consult period newspapers, social histories of Paris, and studies of the French illustrated press, all of which provide valuable context for appreciating his sharp social commentary.