Mr. Sébast ...., plate 281 from Célébrités de la Caricature 1833

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph of Mr. Sébast around the mid-19th century for his series "Célébrités de la Caricature." Here, the exaggerated profile with the haughty, upturned nose becomes a symbol of pride and self-importance. Consider how this profile echoes in ancient Roman portrait busts, where similar noses signified nobility and power. Yet, Daumier twists this symbol. Through caricature, he reveals not heroism, but the inflated ego of the bourgeoisie. This exaggerated feature becomes a mirror reflecting society’s anxieties about class and status, revealing the deep-seated human tendency to judge and categorize. The strong emotion evoked from viewers of the lithograph is often that of disgust, but also perhaps recognition. The nose, therefore, is not merely a physical trait but a charged symbol, laden with history and emotion.