Ali Reich
4/23/04
Birth of Modern Europe
Final Project: Rough Draft I
Index Page
DaumierÕs Representation of the Working Class
The power of the
working class, although easily seen now, with the presence and prominence of
unions, was not always apparent throughout history. The potential of the
working class was rarely taken into account prior to the late modern, and postmodern
periods in history. In France, in
the mid 1800Õs, the working class finally realized their potential and
importance in the functioning of the state, and a series of revolts erupted in
order to gain the respect deserved by the lower class.
In France, in1830,
their king, Louis-Philippe, and chief minister Fran¨ois Guizot, were put into power after a revolt
for universal suffrage by both the bourgeoisie and the lower class. These
revolts called for a better appreciation of the working classes and a
reconciliation of power with liberty[1].
Louis-Philippe and Fran¨ois Guizot originally showed interest in the importance
of the better living for the lower class, however, as their eighteen year reign
passed, their views on the power of the lower classes radically changed. ŅI say
that the aristocracy is the condition of modern societies, a necessary
consequence of the nature of modern democracy.Ó ( Fran¨ois Guizot: Condition of
the July Monarchy- Speech of October 5, 1831) This change in sentiments lead to
a total disregard for lower class, and lead to a sever famine and unemployment
within the working classes. They strived for both the right to vote and unions,
but received neither. This mistreatment and neglect frustrated and angered the
lower classes, and, in an act of self-declaration, revolted in February of
1848. Louis-Philippe and Guizot were overthrown and forced into exile.
The French
painter, Honore Daumier, often painted the
lower classes, and understood the power that they had. In order to demonstrate
this power, in pieces such as Third Class Carriage,
Uprising, and The
Chess Players, Daumier depicted the lower classes as religious figures,
giving them a divine status and an immense amount of power. In giving this
power to the lower class, Daumier began to experiment with a modern idea that
had not yet been approached by other artists. His steps toward an understanding
of the lower classes propelled him as a thinker of the modern times.
Links:
Third Class Carriage Uprising
The Chess Players
Daumier as a modern thinker