L'honneur d'être parrain 1844

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph titled 'L'honneur d'être parrain', or 'The honor of being a godfather', amidst the rapidly changing social landscape of 19th-century France. Daumier, a master of social commentary, used his art to critique the bourgeoisie. Here, we observe a well-dressed man laden with boxes, accompanied by a woman similarly burdened. The French caption highlights a theme of social obligation. The man expresses he has enough, while the shopkeeper insists he purchase twelve boxes to complete his assortment. Daumier's print offers insight into the complex intersections of class, gender, and social expectation. The figures' postures and expressions reveal both the economic pressures and social expectations placed upon them. The woman who is assisting the man, likely his wife, shows how the expectations for social participation burden women, who are expected to support their partners. The image invites us to consider how deeply ingrained societal norms affect our personal choices and emotional well-being, and whether these norms truly honor or burden us.