Le nouvel étendard des blanchisseuses

Honoré Daumier

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing of large, layered skirts being paraded down a street. A character wearing a pointed hat is observing from a balcony. The scene takes place in a stylized urban environment, with loose, impressionistic representations of buildings in the background. Below, two voluminous skirts are being carried in a lively procession that dominates the foreground. In the midground, additional figures are holding up objects and participating in the parade. The use of line work suggests movement, with the exaggerated flounce of the skirts adding a whimsical tone to the scene.