Monsieur Filochard, ex shopkeeper, retired, feels the need of passing on his bust in marble to even remotest posterity, plate 68 from Les Bons bourgeois 1847

Honore Daumier created this lithograph, “Monsieur Filochard,” using limestone and grease crayons. Daumier's genius lies in how he translates sculptural form into lithography. He masterfully evokes the laborious process of marble carving through layered strokes, capturing the dust and the sheer effort required to shape stone. He contrasts the sculptor’s focused intensity with the bourgeois subject’s self-importance. The very notion of a shopkeeper commissioning a marble bust satirizes the traditional role of sculpture as a medium for commemorating the elite. By emphasizing the materiality and labor behind the bust, Daumier critiques the pretensions of the emerging middle class. This print isn't just a humorous scene; it's a commentary on social mobility, artistic production, and the enduring power of materials to reflect cultural values. Daumier challenges the hierarchy between fine art and craft, prompting us to consider who gets remembered and how.