Beware Madam Majority! It is devilishly delicate to raise such a child!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, November 29, 1871

Art Historical Context

Honoré Daumier, a master of 19th-century French caricature, created this biting lithograph in 1871 for *Le Charivari*, a pioneering satirical newspaper known for skewering politics and society. Titled *Beware Madam Majority! is devilishly delicate to such a child!*, the "News of the Day" section, it captures the turbulent post-Franco-Prussian War era including the fall of Napoleon III and the bloody suppression of the Paris Commune.umier's work often lampooned the fragile Third Republic, with "Madam Majority" likely alluding to the conservative National Assembly's dominance and the challenges of nurturing a stable democracy. Rendered as a lithograph on newsprint—the second state of two, per Delteil—this print exemplifies Daumier's revolutionary technique. Lithography enabled rapid, affordable mass production, making his exaggerated, expressive figures accessible to a wide public. His bold lines and caricatured forms, blending Realism with sharp social critique, feature men and women in dynamic tension, heightening the political drama. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1954), this 10⅛ × 8⅝-inch image remains a vivid testament to Daumier's role in shaping visual journalism, inviting viewers to ponder the "devilishly delicate" art of governance.

About the Artist

Honoré Daumier · 1810–1879

Honoré-Victorin Daumier (1808-1879) was a prolific French printmaker, caricaturist, painter, and sculptor whose works offered incisive commentary on the social and political life of 19th-century France. Known as the 'Michelangelo of Caricature,' Daumier produced over 4,000 lithographs, 500 paintings, 1,000 drawings, and 100 sculptures during his lifetime. His biting political satire led to his imp...