Artwork
Pas mèche!!!
Pas mèche!!! is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1872 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s 1872 lithograph titled *Pas mèche!!!* depicts a solitary laborer attempting to hoist a massive stone slab marked with the words “Réparation Monarchique.” The figure’s twisted torso, clenched jaw, and planted feet convey a sense of overwhelming effort, while the stark composition emphasizes the absurdity of the task.
Subject & Meaning
The work satirically addresses the political climate of post‑Second Empire France, mocking proposals to restore the monarchy. By presenting the stone as an impossible burden, Daumier suggests that the notion of a “monarchic repair” is both futile and burdensome to the populace, turning a political debate into a visual gag about over‑strained labor.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the print relies on bold, black outlines and high contrast to delineate the strained figure against the plain background. Daumier’s exaggerated anatomy and dynamic pose heighten the comedic effect, while the crisp line work underscores the physical weight of the stone, a hallmark of his incisive caricatural approach.
Context
Created during the early years of the Third Republic, the image reflects the heated discussions about France’s future governance after Napoleon III’s defeat. Monarchist factions advocated a return to royal rule, a prospect that many republicans, including Daumier, found absurd and threatening to the new democratic order.
Legacy
*Pas mèche!!!* stands as an example of Daumier’s political lithographs that blend humor with social critique. The print continues to be cited in studies of 19th‑century French political art for its vivid illustration of how visual satire can encapsulate contemporary anxieties about power and change.
Artist & collection
Artist
Honoré-Victorin Daumier was a French painter, sculptor, and printmaker, whose many works offer commentary on the social and political life in France, from the Revolution of 1830 to the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870.
