“So this is what's called following the stream of life..... to be compelled to march lockstep with such a fool!,” plate 52 from Moeurs Conjugales 1842

This lithograph by Honoré Daumier, titled “So this is what's called following the stream of life...to be compelled to march lockstep with such a fool!,” was part of his series on marriage, called Moeurs Conjugales. Daumier made this print in France, a country undergoing major social and political change. The work satirizes the institution of marriage, portraying the husband as a pompous fool, a visual comment on social inequality and gender roles of the time. Daumier’s critique of the bourgeoisie, the rising middle class, suggests that social status can blind people. The print's satirical tone questions the very foundations of traditional French society. To fully appreciate the meaning of this print, we need to consider the history of French social classes. Research into popular culture, political cartoons, and gender studies can shed light on the true value of Daumier's critical commentary. This is how the historian contributes to the understanding of art.