Et ils veulent rattraper le train!!! c. 19th century

Here we see a political cartoon by Honoré Daumier, a lithograph, depicting a horse-drawn carriage labeled "Commission Extra Parlementaire" attempting to chase after a train marked "Progrès." The image is a clear symbolic contest between the old and the new. The horse and carriage—a symbol of tradition, aristocracy, and a slower pace—are pitted against the modern, industrialized train, representing progress, technology, and speed. This contrast is a powerful visual metaphor, evoking the anxieties and tensions of a society grappling with rapid change. The act of "catching up" is a recurring motif in art and literature, symbolizing humanity's eternal quest to master time and destiny. Think of Icarus and his attempt to fly too close to the sun, or Sisyphus endlessly pushing his boulder. Here, the futility of the commission's chase engages the viewer's subconscious. The symbolism Daumier uses is not just historical, but cyclical; such confrontations between tradition and progress are eternal, ever resurfacing and evolving in different forms throughout our shared human story.