Le Poisson d'Argent (The Silver Fish)

This woodcut satirizes wartime profiteering and black-market dealings through the figure of a small child—representing the common people—being devoured by well-dressed merchants and speculators. The "silver fish" refers to money gained illicitly while France suffered shortages during and after World War I. The composition descends from 18th- and 19th-century print satire traditions: Hogarth's narrative morality scenes, Daumier's attacks on financial corruption, and Nast's crusades against fraud. The bold black line, high contrast, and symbolic arrangement typical of woodcut technique give the image sharp propaganda force. Published in *Gazette du Bon Ton*, a luxury periodical, the print reached educated audiences and reflects postwar anxiety about economic inequality and unaccountable wealth accumulation.