Conciliabule chez le grand homme
1850
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1850
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This lithograph shows a group of men in suits, some leaning in to whisper, others glaring. Their faces twist with anger or worry, exaggerated like cartoons. Daumier used this style to mock powerful men playing politics. He made this during France’s Second Empire. The scene feels tense, like a backroom deal gone wrong. The men’s big noses and scowls make them look silly and serious at once. Daumier’s work often poked fun at leaders. See more of his sharp cartoons at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
