Honoré Daumier (1808-1879) was a multi-talented French artist, renowned for his work as an engraver, caricaturist, painter, and sculptor. Though primarily famous for his political and social caricatures, Daumier also created sculptures with expressive and striking forms, often in raw colored clay, which served as three-dimensional caricatures as well as true works of art.

In the 1830s, he sculpted busts representing the political and social figures of his time, such as the famous *Ratapoil*, a satirical figure criticizing the July Monarchy. These busts were not published during his lifetime, as Daumier did not see himself strictly as a sculptor and used them mainly as models for his lithographs. Only after his death were some of these sculptures cast in bronze and recognized for their bold social satire and innovative approach. His 36 "Celebrities of the Juste Milieu," a series of busts of political personalities, exemplify works that contributed to cementing his status as a visionary artist, combining satire with character study.