Ce qu'on appelle, aller jouir a la campagne ... c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, titled "Ce qu'on appelle, aller jouir a la campagne..." sometime in the 19th century, a period of significant social upheaval and class division in France. Here, Daumier captures a stark scene of a bourgeois couple caught in a downpour, presumably during an ill-fated countryside excursion. The man, burdened with what appears to be a child, strides forward, while the woman struggles behind, her dress soaked. The image is a commentary on the ironies of class and leisure. While the wealthy sought refuge and pleasure in the countryside, Daumier exposes the realities of their disconnect from nature and the elements. There's an undeniable emotional undercurrent to the piece. The figures are stripped of their social pretenses and left vulnerable, exposed to both the rain and the viewer's gaze. Through his art, Daumier invites us to reflect on the societal constructs that shape our experiences and to consider the emotional truths that lie beneath the surface of social facades.