Mr Prudhomme...ce n'est pas moi qui me ferai ... c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier produced this lithograph, Mr Prudhomme, in 19th-century France. It critiques the social norms of its time through the character of Mr. Prudhomme, a figure Daumier often used to satirize the bourgeoisie. The image presents a man holding a dog, seemingly in a moment of sentimental attachment, while an inscription suggests a reluctance to part with even a small sum of money for a friend. Daumier uses this contrast to expose the hypocrisy and self-interest he saw within the middle class. The setting, likely a pawnbroker's, emphasizes the economic realities underlying social interactions. To fully understand Daumier's critique, we might explore sources that offer a better understanding of the prevailing social and economic conditions of 19th-century France, as well as the critical responses to the bourgeois class at the time. Through this kind of research, art becomes a window into the past.