Who painted A l'instar d'Henri IV?

A l'instar d'Henri IV was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1852.

Where can I see A l'instar d'Henri IV?

A l'instar d'Henri IV is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A l'instar d'Henri IV?

A l'instar d'Henri IV is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

A l'instar d'Henri IV

Honoré Daumier , 1852

A l'instar d'Henri IV is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1852 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1852, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier presents a domestic scene rendered with satirical intent. A young boy in elaborate attire gestures toward a shelf laden with a vase, teapot and birdcage, while a weary adult bends over a chair occupied by a sleeping child. The composition juxtaposes ostentatious display with fatigue, inviting a critical reading of social pretensions.

Subject & Meaning

This contrast hints at Daumier’s commentary on the hollow grandeur of the elite and the neglect of ordinary lives, a theme recurrent in his republican outlook.

The figures embody contrasting social roles: the boy, dressed for display, appears to lecture or explain the objects around him, whereas the older man, burdened by his coat and posture, seems disengaged, his attention drawn to the inert child. This contrast hints at Daumier’s commentary on the hollow grandeur of the elite and the neglect of ordinary lives, a theme recurrent in his republican outlook.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, the print showcases Daumier’s characteristic loose line work and dense detailing. Fine hatching renders the texture of the man’s coat and the wallpaper pattern, while broader strokes define the figures’ silhouettes. The rough, energetic drawing style reinforces the satirical tone, allowing subtle visual jokes to emerge within the crowded interior space.

History & Provenance

Daumier produced the work while contributing caricatures to periodicals such as *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*, outlets that critiqued the monarchy and clergy. The lithograph was circulated among the print market of mid‑19th‑century France, reflecting the artist’s engagement with contemporary political debates. Its survival in museum collections underscores its role as a visual document of the era’s social tensions.

Context

The print emerged during a period of rapid regime change in France, when republican ideas contested the lingering influence of the Bourbon Restoration and the Second Empire. Daumier’s republican sympathies informed his visual satire, positioning everyday domestic scenes as microcosms of broader political anxieties about authority, privilege, and the neglect of the common citizen.

Artist & collection

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Honoré-Victorin Daumier was a French painter, sculptor, and printmaker, whose many works offer commentary on the social and political life in France, from the Revolution of 1830 to the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870.