Le Président de la diète

Honoré Daumier

National Gallery of Art

The image shows the upper body of a man seated at a desk. The man is leaning back in his chair with his head tilted upward, looking above with a wide-eyed expression. He has a round face, a prominent nose, a thick neck, and sparse hair on the top of his head, with side whiskers on either side. His clothing consists of a dark jacket over a buttoned vest, with a necktie visible. His arms rest on the armrests of the chair. On the desk in front of him are papers, a quill pen in an inkwell, a hat, and a bell. Above the man, two swords hang by their tips over his head, labeled "Prusse" (Prussia) and "Autriche" (Austria). The background consists of swirling shaded lines. The text at the bottom of the image reads "Le Président de la diète, ou le double Damoclès!" referring to the man portrayed as the President of the Diet, with a double Sword of Damocles metaphor.