C.H. Odilon Barrot 1849

This lithograph of C.H. Odilon Barrot was created by Honoré Daumier in France. It's a caricature, a type of image that gained traction as public life opened up in the 19th century. Daumier was a master of this critical art. Barrot, a French politician, is depicted here with exaggerated features: an oversized head, stern expression, and a body that seems to strain under the weight of his importance. He carries books marked ‘Dossiers de Justice,’ suggesting his involvement in legal matters. The image presents Barrot as standing above a crowd of faces, emphasizing a social hierarchy and perhaps critiquing the distance between political figures and the public. Daumier's caricatures often appeared in satirical journals, serving as a form of social commentary during a time of political change. To fully understand this work, we might research the political climate of 19th-century France, consult period newspapers, and study the history of French caricature. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.