Malheureux enfant! ... Ca t'appendra a faire ... c. 19th century

This lithograph, whose author is Honoré Daumier, depicts a child being dunked into a body of water in the presence of ducks. Water, a classical symbol of purification, appears here in a peculiar context. It's not cleansing, but rather, a form of primitive retribution. Notice the mother figure in the background, wailing with arms outstretched in a gesture of despair, a posture reminiscent of ancient tragic figures. She echoes the lamenting Niobe from classical mythology. The ducks, seemingly indifferent, point to a deeper societal critique. Ducks have often been seen as symbols of adaptability and nonchalance. Their presence here might suggest a commentary on the cold indifference of nature, or perhaps, the detached perspective of society towards such domestic dramas. The emotional tenor is palpable—the child's distress, the father's sternness, the mother's anguish. This scene, though specific, taps into a universal well of familial tension, a primal scene played out across generations. The image reminds us that symbols have a life of their own, resurfacing and evolving, as they navigate the ebbs and flows of history.