Crinolines are suddenly getting to be suspicious, plate 419 from Actualités 1857

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, titled "Crinolines are suddenly getting to be suspicious," as part of his "Actualités" series. Note the exaggerated crinoline, a symbol of bourgeois fashion, now under the scrutinizing eyes of authority. The act of searching, or probing, is a recurring motif throughout art history. Think back to the classical myth of Psyche, whose relentless search for truth led her on a harrowing journey. Similarly, the officers here, with their invasive rods, embody a quest for what is hidden, reflecting a deep-seated human desire to uncover secrets. This act of inspection evokes a feeling of mistrust, hinting at the anxieties of a society grappling with shifting social norms. It’s a kind of collective paranoia, where the familiar becomes suspect, and the boundaries between public and private blur. The image captures this psychological tension, tapping into a primal fear of exposure and vulnerability. The crinoline, once a symbol of status, is now a vessel of potential deceit. This tension between appearance and reality echoes through time, resurfacing whenever societal values are questioned.