Election reform in England, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, February 26, 1866

Art Historical Context

**Election Reform in England** (1866), a sharp lithograph by Honoré Daumier, the turbulent spirit of mid-19th-century politics through biting satire. Published in the newspaper *Le Charivari*'s "News of the" section on February 26, 6, it mocks the heated debates over electoral reform across the Channel in England. Daumier, a master caricaturist and key figure in French Realism, skewers the male-dominated world of politics—evident in the tags emphasizing satire and men—with exaggerated figures likely lampooning pompous politicians and reformers vying for power. This print arrives at a pivotal moment: Britain's push toward the Second Reform Act of 1867, which would dramatically expand the electorate from middle-class voters to include many working men. Daumier's work, printed on humble newsprint (image 9 7/16 × 7 15/16 in.), reflects the era's journalistic fervor, where lithography allowed for quick, affordable dissemination of commentary. His fluid, expressive lines and dramatic contrasts convey chaos and hypocrisy, hallmarks of his thousands of satirical prints critiquing authority. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1960), this ephemeral gem endures as a cultural snapshot, reminding us how art fueled public discourse on democracy's messy evolution. A witty window into 1860s Anglo-French tensions!

About the Artist

Destouches|Honoré Daumier|Arnaud de Vresse (French|French) · 1808 |1800 –1879 |1900

French, Marseilles 1808–1879 Valmondois|Paris