Beer? Never! Only absinthe can put a fellow back on his feet, from 'The Chinese of Paris,' published in Le Charivari, December 18, 1863

Art Historical Context

This lively lithograph by Honoré Daumier appeared in the December 18, 1863, issue of the Parisian satirical journal *Le Charivari*. Created as part of the artist’s series “The Chinese of Paris,” the print captures two men enjoying a drink and a smoke, with the caption declaring a staunch preference for absinthe over beer. Daumier, a master of the medium, used lithography’s fluid lines and tonal range to produce sharp social commentary for a broad newspaper audience. Published during the Second Empire, when Parisian café culture was booming, the work reflects the era’s fascination with absinthe as both a restorative tonic and a symbol of bohemian life. Daumier’s caricatures often poked gentle fun at middle-class habits, and this sheet is no exception—its humor lies in the exaggerated claim that only the potent green spirit can revive a weary fellow. Printed on newsprint in the second state, the image exemplifies Daumier’s skill at distilling everyday scenes into witty visual commentary. Today it offers modern viewers a charming glimpse into nineteenth-century French leisure and the lively world of illustrated journalism.

About the Artist

Destouches|Honoré Daumier|Aaron Martinet (French|French) · 1808 |1800 –1879 |1900

French, Marseilles 1808–1879 Valmondois|Paris