Gentlemen in workhouse clothes: If the rich are disguising themselves as poor, one might get the idea that the poor might transform themselves into the rich, from 'News of the day'

Art Historical Context

This 1866 lithograph by Honoré Daumier, published in the satirical series *News of the Day*, captures the social tensions of Second Empire France through sharp visual wit. Daumier, a master of caricature, depicts gentlemen awkwardly disguised in workhouse attire, accompanied by horses and carriages that hint at their true status. The caption wryly observes that if the wealthy can impersonate the poor, the reverse might also occur—suggesting the fluidity and threat of class boundaries in an era of rapid industrialization and inequality. Printed as a lithograph by Destouches and distributed by Aaron Martinet, the work exemplifies the medium’s power to reach wide audiences through affordable, reproducible imagery. Daumier’s expressive line work and exaggerated forms heighten the comedic yet pointed critique, turning everyday scenes into commentary on disguise, privilege, and potential upheaval. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of prints and drawings, this piece remains a vivid reminder of how 19th-century satire used humor to expose societal contradictions.