A Dinner at Véry's. “So what! I am having dinner by myself today... alright! But my wife gave me one Louis d'or and I still have... 60 centimes left,” plate 11 from Les Beaux Jours De La Vie 1844

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, "A Dinner at Véry's," as part of his series Les Beaux Jours De La Vie, which translates to “The Beautiful Days of Life.” Daumier was a master of social commentary, and this print encapsulates the complex relationship between personal identity and economic status in 19th-century Paris. Here, we see a bourgeois gentleman, dining alone, seemingly trying to convince himself, and perhaps the waiter, of his contentment. The text below the image reveals a man grappling with his financial circumstances, as he delights over the fact that he still has 60 centimes left. Daumier uses the setting of Véry's, a fancy restaurant, to highlight the man's social aspirations, while hinting at his economic fragility. The image prompts us to consider how deeply personal experiences are shaped by societal pressures and economic realities. "The Beautiful Days of Life" series, in general, is a mirror reflecting the daily struggles and quiet triumphs of a society navigating rapid change.