1871
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Tirez, ça fait équilibre is a 1871 by Honoré Daumier, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a tall, barefoot statue of a woman standing on a pedestal labeled *République*. Two small hands on either side hold ropes tied to her wrists, as if keeping her upright. The lines are rough and loose, with heavy shading for shadows. The caption below reads *"Tirez, ça fait équilibre"*—French for *"Pull, that keeps her balanced."* The humor comes from the idea that the Republic (France’s government) needs constant support to stay standing. Next, check out Daumier, Honoré—he made sharp political cartoons like this one.
Honoré-Victorin Daumier was a French painter, sculptor, and printmaker, whose many works offer commentary on the social and political life in France, from the Revolution of 1830 to the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870.
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