Vier Spanjaarden gooien hun koning met een laken in de lucht 1872

This lithograph, "Vier Spanjaarden gooien hun koning met een laken in de lucht," was created by Honoré Daumier. We see an almost theatrical scene, rendered with Daumier's characteristic bold lines. Below, four figures strain under the weight of a large white sheet, their eyes fixed upwards. Above, a figure, presumably the king, is tossed into the air, guitar in hand, seemingly weightless against the pull of gravity. Daumier has structured this work using stark contrasts, both physical and metaphorical. The grounded figures appear earthbound, and the airborne king seems detached, almost frivolous. Daumier, known for his social and political commentary, often used caricature to challenge power structures. Here, the act of tossing the king becomes a potent symbol, questioning the stability of authority. This lithograph invites us to consider how power is not just asserted but also performed, challenged, and, in moments like these, turned upside down.