Damned flag! Impossible to get rid of the color, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, March 2, 1872

Art Historical Context

In the turbulent wake of France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian and the birth of the Third Republic,é Daumier unleashed his sharp satirical wit in this lithograph, *Damned flag! Impossible get rid of the color published in the daily satirical newspaper *Le Charari* on March 2, 1872. Daumier, a masteraturist and pioneer of realist lithography, targets Henri, Comte de Chambord—the Legitimist pretender to the throne—who insisted on restoring the white Bourbon flag over the republican tricolor. The image humorously depicts working men futilely scrubbing at a stubbornly colorful flag, embodying the political impasse that thwarted monarchist hopes. Printed on newsprint as the second state of two (per Delteil catalog), this modest 9⅛ × 8 in. sheet exemplifies Daumier's virtuoso technique: bold, expressive lines and tonal shading via crayon lithography, allowing rapid production for timely commentary. Distributed cheaply, such prints democratized satire, critiquing power while entertaining the masses. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Bequest of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1957), it captures a pivotal cultural moment—France's flag debate symbolizing deeper republican resilience. Daumier's empathetic yet biting portrayal of laborers underscores his sympathy for the working class amid elite squabbles.

About the Artist

Honoré Daumier|Henri comte de Chambord · 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...