Damn Boots! That Will Teach Me to Take Smaller Steps...” plate 6 from Coquetterie 1839

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, "Damn Boots! That Will Teach Me to Take Smaller Steps…”, as plate 6 from Coquetterie. The exaggerated figure, rendered in stark black lines against a pale ground, leans forward, almost pitching out of the frame. Daumier’s composition uses caricature to critique social affectation, with the figure’s elongated limbs and pointed features emphasizing a sense of imbalance and artificiality. The lithographic technique allows for a contrast between areas of fine detail and more sketch-like passages, drawing attention to the performance of elegance and the discomfort it masks. The repetition of figures in the background, each a variation on contemporary fashion, suggests a world where appearances are carefully constructed. This print highlights how visual codes of posture and dress communicate social aspirations. The distorted perspective and sharp angles create a dynamic tension, mirroring the performative strain of maintaining an affected identity. Daumier masterfully uses form to underscore the broader commentary on social artifice, making it both humorous and incisive.