La dêroute!

Executed in lithography, Daumée drew directly onto a flat stone surface, exploiting the medium’s capacity for bold lines and tonal variation. The print’s stark contrasts and energetic brush‑like strokes convey movement and tension, while the fine detailing of the textual fragments demonstrates the artist’s skill in rendering both narrative and nuance within a single sheet.

Created during Daumée’s prolific period of political caricature, the lithograph was produced in the mid‑19th century, a time of frequent electoral unrest in France. Original impressions circulated among the artist’s circle and were later acquired by several European collections, where they continue to serve as documentary evidence of the era’s sociopolitical climate.