A qui le tour? 1870

"A qui le tour?" (Whose Turn Is It?), a lithograph by Honoré Daumier from 1870, is a powerful satirical commentary on the political landscape of France. The image depicts a soldier holding a rifle with a dead bird impaled on its bayonet, representing the fall of French monarchies. The soldier's stance is confident, yet he gazes skyward, suggesting anticipation of what's to come. Daumier's signature style of caricature is evident in the exaggerated features of the soldier and the bird. The dates "1815," "1830," "1848," and "1870" scattered around the soldier's feet signify the various revolutions and changes in French government throughout the 19th century. This piece is a stark reminder of the volatile political climate of the time and Daumier's astute observation of society's injustices.