Artwork
Comment! encore une caricature sur nous...
Comment! encore une caricature sur nous... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1844 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1844, the lithograph Comment!
About this work
Overview
It belongs to his prolific output of satirical images that appeared in the mid‑nineteenth‑century journals La Caricature and Le Charivari.
Created in 1844, the lithograph Comment! encore une caricature sur nous... is a small, ink‑on‑stone print by French artist Honoré Daumier. It belongs to his prolific output of satirical images that appeared in the mid‑nineteenth‑century journals La Caricature and Le Charivari. The work depicts a cramped interior populated by two women, one in a disheveled, frantic pose and the other standing rigidly with a basket, underscored by a caption that hints at mockery.
Subject & Meaning
The scene captures a moment of domestic tension: a wild‑haired woman clutching her head appears agitated, while her companion maintains a composed stance. The uneven lighting and cramped setting amplify the sense of claustrophobia. The accompanying text, rendered in Daumier’s characteristic irony, suggests a broader commentary on social pretensions, using the private dispute as a metaphor for public ridicule.
Technique & Style
Daumier employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a limestone plate with greasy crayon before printing. The lines are deliberately rough and swift, conveying immediacy and emotional urgency. The limited tonal range, dark shadows against a light background, enhances the sketch‑like quality, while the exaggerated facial expressions and gestural poses reflect the artist’s satirical visual language.
History & Provenance
The print was issued as part of Daumier’s regular contributions to the republican‑leaning periodicals of the 1840s, which often targeted the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy. Original copies circulated among the readership of Le Charivari and were later collected by institutions documenting French political caricature. The work now resides in several museum collections that specialize in 19th‑century prints.
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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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