“- It's nippy, Mr. Galimard, it's nippy!... - Allow me to say that at 8 degrees the rivers and the noses are frozen...,” plate 39 from Tout Ce Qu'on Voudra

Art Historical Context

In 1848, amid the revolutionary fervor of France's Second Republic, Honoré Daumier captured the everyday absurdities of Parisian life in his satirical lithograph series *Tout Ce Qu'on Vra*. Plate 39, titled *“- It's nippy, Mr. Galimard, nippy!... - Allow to say that at degrees the rivers and the are frozen...”*, humorously depicts two figures bantering about the biting cold. Daumier's sharp wit skewers the pretentious chatter of the bourgeoisie, turning a simple complaint about winter weather—8 degrees Celsius, frigid enough to freeze noses—into a caricature of pompous dialogue. As a master of lithography, Daumier exploited the medium's versatility on white wove paper, using bold black lines to convey exaggerated expressions and dynamic poses. This 24.3 × 21.6 cm image, printed for mass circulation in journals like *Le Charivari*, democratized satire, allowing ordinary viewers to laugh at social vanities during turbulent times. Produced just after the February Revolution, it reflects Daumier's lifelong commitment to Realism and caricature, critiquing class pretensions while humanizing his subjects. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, this work exemplifies how 19th-century lithography fueled public discourse, blending artistry with activism in an era of political upheaval.

About the Artist

Honoré-Victorin Daumier · 1808–1879

Honoré-Victorin Daumier (1808-1879) was a prolific French printmaker, caricaturist, painter, and sculptor whose works offered incisive commentary on the social and political life of 19th-century France. Known as the 'Michelangelo of Caricature,' Daumier produced over 4,000 lithographs, 500 paintings, 1,000 drawings, and 100 sculptures during his lifetime. His biting political satire led to his imp...