Une nouvelle maniére de descendre le fleuve de la vie

Executed as a lithograph, the image relies on the medium’s capacity for bold lines and tonal variation. Daumier’s characteristic satirical line work is evident in the fluid, sketch‑like strokes that delineate the water, the capsized hull, and the exaggerated postures of the figures, while the background architecture is rendered with restrained detail.

Created during Daumée’s prolific period of social commentary, the print was produced in the mid‑19th century, a time when lithography enabled rapid dissemination of his observations. The work has passed through several private collections before entering a public institution, where it is catalogued among his series of urban and riverine scenes.