Pas mèche!!! c. 19th century

This is a caricature by Honoré Daumier, and it depicts a man attempting a feat of strength with a stone marked "Restoration Monarchique". The stone itself, a symbol of burden, is chained to his ankle. This recalls the myth of Sisyphus, doomed to endlessly push a boulder uphill only for it to roll back down. But Daumier twists the trope. Here, the figure is not condemned by the gods; he self-imposes this labor. The stone’s inscription links this Sisyphean task to the recurrent attempts to restore monarchy in France. This motif of a Sisyphean task has recurred throughout history. It speaks to a collective memory of futile, cyclical struggles. The man’s pained expression and awkward posture resonate with the futility of clinging to outdated ideologies. His struggle taps into our own subconscious fears of being trapped in unproductive cycles, a powerful force engaging viewers even today. Ultimately, Daumier suggests that these burdens resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.