Artwork
C'est unique! j'ai pris quatre tailles...
C'est unique! j'ai pris quatre tailles... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1840, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier presents a solitary figure clutching four hats of varying sizes, concealing his face behind them. The composition is rendered in bold, simplified lines that emphasize the absurdity of the scene, a hallmark of Daumier’s satirical approach to contemporary French life.
Subject & Meaning
The central character’s playful concealment suggests a critique of the ever‑changing fashions of men’s headwear in early‑nineteenth‑century Paris. By exaggerating the size differences, Daumier lampoons the vanity and pretension associated with sartorial trends, inviting viewers to question the social importance placed on outward appearance.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the work employs the medium’s capacity for strong contrasts and rapid production. Daumier’s use of stark black outlines against a light background creates a graphic immediacy, while the minimal shading underscores the caricatural quality that defines much of his print output.
History & Provenance
Daumier, an active contributor to satirical journals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, produced this image amid a prolific period of political and social commentary. The print later entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings on French lithography.
Context
The lithograph emerged during a time of heightened republican sentiment following the July Revolution of 1830. Daumier’s republican leanings informed his frequent attacks on the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy, and this piece reflects his broader engagement with the everyday absurdities of Parisian society.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Honoré-Victorin Daumier (French: ; 26 February 1808 – 10 or 11 February 1879) was a French painter, sculptor, and printmaker, whose many works offer commentary on the social and political life in France, from the…
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