The Bourgeois and His Tailor, plate 5 from Les Bons Bourgeois 1847

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, "The Bourgeois and His Tailor," as part of his series "Les Bons Bourgeois". Through his art, Daumier often critiqued the bourgeoisie, and his work provides insight into the social dynamics of 19th-century France. Here, we see a stout bourgeois figure in formal attire standing next to his tailor, their exchange hinting at the economic and social dependencies that structured their relationship. Daumier masterfully uses the body to convey meaning; the bourgeois is rendered as imposing and self-satisfied, while the tailor seems more meek. Daumier’s image resonates with layered tensions. This isn’t just about clothing; it reflects the fabric of society itself, woven with threads of class, labor, and identity. The work invites us to reflect on how appearances can both reveal and conceal the complex realities of human interaction.