An Umbrella in a Difficult Position, plate 119 from Actualités

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

This caricature dates from the early days of the Spanish-Moroccan War, a conflict between the two countries that was initiated when Moroccan soldiers attacked a Spanish-held fort in Morocco. France offered its aid in retaliating, and Daumier saw this gesture as an absurd attempt to inspire French patriotism and gain international prominence. Here, the sultan of Morocco crouches alone under his umbrella as the masses of troops converge on him from both sides. These large, proudly labeled armies are revealed as an excessive overreaction to the perceived threat from Morocco, a country with a military much smaller than Spain’s.

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