No doubt, she is very ill!... - Honoré Daumier

A biting 1850 political lithograph by Honoré Daumier, satirising the restrictive electoral laws of the French Second Republic.

This lithograph by Honoré Daumier, titled 'No doubt, she is very ill!...', serves as a sharp piece of political commentary from 1850. Daumier, a master of the satirical medium, depicts a group of concerned figures gathered around a cradle. The infant in the cradle is labelled 'Loi du 31 mai', referring to the restrictive electoral law of 31 May 1850, which disenfranchised a significant portion of the French working class. The figures surrounding the cradle represent the conservative politicians who championed this legislation, their expressions a mix of feigned concern and calculated anxiety.

Daumier employs his characteristic draughtsmanship to convey the absurdity of the situation. The figures are rendered with exaggerated features, a hallmark of his style that allows him to mock the pomposity of the political elite. The use of lithography enables a fluid, sketch-like quality, where the lines appear spontaneous yet deliberate. The composition focuses on the interaction between the men and the sickly infant, creating a narrative of political fragility. The canopy over the cradle adds a domestic touch to the scene, contrasting the private setting with the public consequences of the law.

As a contributor to the satirical journal Le Charivari, Daumier produced thousands of prints that critiqued the social and political climate of nineteenth-century France. His work remains a primary source for understanding the tensions of the Second Republic. This print captures the cynicism of the era, where legislative manoeuvres were often treated with the same gravity as a medical crisis. The stark black and white tones emphasise the grim humour inherent in the subject matter, inviting the viewer to look past the surface and consider the underlying political critique.