“- Your suit fits.... I'll borrow it from you... only, please close the door, I can feel a draft on my back. - Oh blast, the door is shut,..... but you just opened the only suit I have,” plate 5 from Les Amis 1845

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, plate 5 from "Les Amis," to be published in a series during a period of significant social and political upheaval in France. Daumier, known for his satirical commentary, uses the print medium to explore themes of class, friendship, and the vulnerabilities of economic life. The scene captures a tense exchange between two men, highlighting the power dynamics inherent in their relationship, where one man asks to borrow the other’s suit. The text underscores a poignant moment of exposure and loss. The suit, then, becomes more than just clothing; it symbolizes status, security, and perhaps the only barrier against the “draft” of poverty and social precarity. Daumier invites us to reflect on the ways society forces individuals into such moments of desperation and dependency. He challenges traditional representations of male friendship by revealing the underlying tensions of class and economic disparity. This work resonates with the recognition that our identities and relationships are often shaped by the material conditions of our lives.