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Daumier employed lithography for its capacity to produce bold, expressive lines with rapid execution. The image relies on strong contrasts between dark, heavy forms and empty space, with minimal detail and no tonal gradation. The figures are rendered with exaggerated proportions—muscular and monumental versus small and vulnerable—emphasizing imbalance in social power. The absence of color heightens the starkness, reinforcing the print’s critical tone.

The print was produced during the later years of the Second French Empire, a period marked by state censorship and suppression of dissent. Though Daumier had faced imprisonment for earlier caricatures, he continued producing work for underground or less regulated publications. This piece likely circulated privately or in limited editions, avoiding direct confrontation with authorities while still conveying its message to those attuned to its symbolism.

In the 1860s, France was undergoing rapid industrialization and political repression under Napoleon III. Public spectacles, including industrial expositions, were used to project national progress and unity. Daumier’s work subtly undermines these narratives, portraying them as staged illusions. The curtain becomes a metaphor for the veil between official rhetoric and lived reality, particularly for laborers excluded from the benefits of the so-called 'industrial fair.'

Daumier’s lithographs influenced later generations of social realists and political illustrators, demonstrating how print media could serve as a tool for public critique. His ability to distill complex social tensions into single, potent images set a precedent for visual journalism. Though not widely exhibited in his lifetime, his work gained recognition in the 20th century as foundational to modern graphic satire and the art of political commentary.