My friend, you are tall enough; but now you must try to put on some weight!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, August 29, 1866

Art Historical Context

Step into the witty world of 19th French satire with *My friend, you are tall; but now you must to put on some weight*, a lithograph published in the renowned satirical newspaper *Le Charari* on August , 1866. Created by Honoré Daum, a master caricaturist often collaborating with artists like Destouches and Arnaud de Vresse, this piece captures the sharp humor of the Second Empire era. Daumier's signature style—exaggerated figures and biting commentary—pokes fun at physical appearances, likely targeting a lanky public figure or bourgeois vanity amid France's politically charged atmosphere. Printed as a lithograph on newsprint in the second state of two (per Delteil's catalog), the work measures a compact 10 1/8 × 8 1/16 inches, perfect for quick, affordable distribution to a wide readership. Lithography allowed Daumier to produce dynamic, inky lines and expressive shading with remarkable speed, making satire accessible and potent in an age of growing press freedom—and censorship. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1936), this print exemplifies how Daumier's men and women embodied universal human follies. It reminds us that laughter has long been a tool for cultural critique, inviting visitors to chuckle at timeless jabs on looks and society.

About the Artist

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

French, Marseilles 1808–1879 Valmondois|Paris