Les Parisiens ayant trouvé le moyen de circuler ... c. 19th century

This lithograph by Honoré Daumier depicts Parisians on stilts, navigating flooded boulevards. The image reflects the realities of urban life in 19th-century France, a period marked by rapid modernization and social change. Daumier was a master of social commentary, and here he satirizes the challenges of city living. The muddy streets and the elevated perspective of the figures on stilts visually represent the social hierarchies of the time. Those on stilts are literally elevated above the mire, while the faceless masses in the background look on. France in this period was undergoing rapid industrialization, leading to urbanization and all its associated problems: poor sanitation, overcrowding, and social inequality. Daumier's art often critiques these conditions. Political cartoons like this one were very popular, but they were also a threat to social norms, which is why so much effort was devoted to censoring them. To truly understand Daumier’s work, we need to research the social conditions of his time. Contemporary newspapers, government reports, and social surveys all shed light on the context that shaped his art and its reception. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.