A satirical 1867 lithograph by Honoré-Victorin Daumier, depicting the geopolitical tensions of the era through the lens of Gulliver's Travels.

This lithograph, titled Renouvelé de Gulliver, is a work by the French artist Honoré-Victorin Daumier. Published in 1867, the print forms part of the Actualités series, which frequently appeared in the Parisian newspaper Le Charivari. Daumier uses the literary framework of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels to comment on the political climate of the mid-nineteenth century.

The central figure is a giant, clad in a Prussian Pickelhaube helmet, who represents the growing military power of Prussia. He is depicted stooping over, clutching small, frantic figures in his hands and tucked under his arm. These smaller characters represent the various European states or political entities being manipulated or overwhelmed by the expansionist ambitions of the Prussian state. Daumier employs his characteristic lithographic technique, using expressive, gestural lines to convey the tension and absurdity of the scene. The shading is achieved through cross-hatching and varied pressure, which gives the figures a sense of volume and movement despite the economy of the composition.

Daumier was a master of social and political satire. His work often targeted the corruption and power dynamics of the French government and international relations. By invoking the imagery of Gulliver, he provides a clear visual metaphor for the perceived threat of Prussian dominance in Europe during the years leading up to the Franco-Prussian War. The print is a direct observation of the geopolitical anxieties of the era, rendered with the sharp wit and observational skill that defined Daumier’s career as a caricaturist. The work remains a primary example of how nineteenth-century print media functioned as a tool for political discourse and public critique.