A satirical 1855 lithograph by Honoré-Victorin Daumier, mocking the excessive volume of fashionable crinoline skirts in Second Empire Paris.

This lithograph by Honoré-Victorin Daumier, titled 'Des dames d'un demi-monde, mais n'ayant pas de demi-jupes', appeared in the French periodical Le Charivari in 1855. It belongs to the 'Actualités' series, a collection of satirical prints that commented on the social and political climate of Second Empire France. Daumier, a prolific observer of Parisian life, used his draughtsmanship to mock the excesses of contemporary fashion and the social pretensions of the era.

The image depicts two women, identified by the title as members of the 'demi-monde', entering a carriage. The humour centres on the contrast between their social status and the sheer volume of their attire. The crinoline skirts, which were fashionable at the time, are rendered with exaggerated, voluminous layers of fabric that nearly overwhelm the figures. Daumier employs his characteristic loose, expressive line work to capture the texture of the ruffles and the awkwardness of the women as they navigate the carriage entrance. The composition is balanced by the solid, dark mass of the carriage and the sweeping, rhythmic lines of the dresses.

Daumier was a master of the lithographic medium, using it to reach a wide audience through the press. His work often functioned as a form of visual journalism, providing a critique of bourgeois vanity and the absurdities of high society. By focusing on the physical impracticality of the crinoline, he directs his satire at the performative nature of fashion. This print offers a glimpse into the mid-nineteenth-century Parisian street scene, capturing a specific moment of social observation through a lens of sharp, witty commentary. The work remains a fine example of Daumier's ability to combine technical skill with social insight, presenting a narrative that is both humorous and historically informative.