A satirical 1869 lithograph by Honoré-Victorin Daumier, depicting the fiscal struggles of the French government through the myth of Sisyphus.

This lithograph, titled Comme Sisyphe, was published in the French periodical Le Charivari on 25 February 1869. It belongs to the Actualités series, a collection of prints where Honoré-Victorin Daumier commented on the political climate of the Second French Empire. The image depicts a figure struggling under the weight of a massive boulder labelled Budget, a clear reference to the fiscal difficulties faced by the government of Napoleon III during this period.

Daumier employs the classical myth of Sisyphus to critique the repetitive and futile nature of state financial management. The figure, bent under the immense burden, represents the state or the taxpayer, forced to push the heavy load up an incline. The artist uses expressive, gestural lines to convey the physical strain of the subject. The contrast between the dark, heavy shadows of the rock and the lighter, more sketch-like treatment of the figure creates a sense of movement and desperation. The date 1869 is visible on the figure's garment, anchoring the work in its specific historical moment.

As a master of the lithographic medium, Daumier utilised the texture of the stone to create tonal depth. His work often bypassed the polished finish of academic art in favour of a raw, immediate quality that suited the rapid production cycles of nineteenth-century journalism. This print remains a sharp example of his ability to translate complex political frustrations into accessible visual metaphors. The composition is tight, focusing entirely on the exertion of the central figure against the oppressive weight of the boulder, effectively communicating the exhaustion associated with the fiscal policies of the time.