Décidément on ne peut pas... 1870

"Décidément on ne peut pas..." (Definitely one cannot...) is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier from 1870. Daumier, a prominent French artist known for his satirical caricatures, depicted two men in this political cartoon. The man on the left, likely representing the French people, is being forced to swallow a "duck" (metaphorically, a difficult situation) by the man on the right, who represents the Prussian military, as he reads a newspaper. This caricature is a poignant commentary on the Franco-Prussian War, exposing the hardships faced by the French during the conflict. Daumier's use of exaggerated features and bold lines effectively conveys his critique of the situation.