Le Perroquet

Executed as a lithograph, Daumier employed the quick, gestural line work typical of newspaper prints, allowing for rapid production and wide distribution. The use of newsprint as a substrate reinforces the immediacy of the satire, while the simplified interior setting focuses attention on the figures and their interaction.

The print first appeared in the pages of the republican press in the late 1830s, circulating among readers of *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*. Over time it entered private collections before being acquired by museum holdings that specialize in 19th‑century French graphic art, where it remains a representative example of Daumier’s print output.

During the 1830s Daumier was actively involved in the political debates surrounding the July Monarchy. His prints frequently targeted the pretensions of the bourgeoisie and the complacency of the ruling class, using everyday scenes—such as a lesson in dress etiquette—to expose broader social hypocrisies.

*Le Perroquet* illustrates Daumier’s skill in turning a mundane domestic moment into a vehicle for political critique, a strategy that influenced later satirical illustrators. The work continues to be studied for its blend of humor, social observation, and the technical agility of lithography.