The New Paris, How fortunate for those in a hurry that the avenues have been widened!!!, published in Souvenirs d'Artistes

Art Historical Context

In 1862, amid Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann sweeping transformation of Paris under Napoleon III, Honoré Daumier captured irony of urban "progress" in this biting lithograph, *The New Paris, How for those in a hurry the avenues have been widened*, published in *Souvenirs d'Artistes Daumier, a caricaturist and leading figure in French Realism, skewers the chaos of the modernization efforts. The title's exclamation drips with sarcasm, likely depicting congested streets filled with men, horses, buildings, and carriages—tags that evoke the very traffic jams the widened boulevards were meant to alleviate. As a lithograph in its second state of two (per Delteil's catalog), this print exemplifies Daumier's virtuoso technique in the medium, which allowed for rich tonal contrasts and mass reproduction to reach a wide audience. Lithography was ideal for his satirical commentary on social issues, from class divides to political folly. Produced just as Haussmann's avenues reshaped the city—demolishing medieval alleys for grand boulevards—this work highlights the cultural tension between innovation and disruption, making everyday Parisians the punchline. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1928), it reminds us of Daumier's enduring legacy: using humor to critique power and change. (198 words)

About the Artist

Honoré Daumier|Bertauts · 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...