J'ai vu trancher les jours de ma famille ...

Executed in lithography, the work showcases Daumée’s skill in producing crisp, high‑contrast lines suitable for newspaper illustration. The style merges realistic detail, such as the texture of the pavement, with cartoonish distortion, creating a visual humor that bridges fine art and popular print media.

Created during Daumée’s prolific period of lithographic production for the French press, the print was originally circulated as part of a series commenting on urban scenes. It later entered private collections before being acquired by a public institution, where it remains accessible for study.

Daumée’s career was marked by a relentless critique of 19th‑century Parisian society, especially its political and social excesses. This lithograph fits within that broader commentary, using animal caricature to mirror human folly and the hectic pace of modern life.