Décidément on ne peut pas...

Décidément on ne peut pas...

Honoré Daumier

1870

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows three men in a tight, awkward group. The one on the left has his arms around the middle man, who’s holding a hat and looks flustered. The man on the right is bent forward, clutching a piece of paper. Their faces are exaggerated, almost comical, with big eyes and messy hair. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to make the scene feel alive and a little chaotic. The way the men are crowded together suggests they’re in the middle of a tense moment, maybe arguing or reacting to something unexpected. If you like this style, look up lithography to see how artists create prints like this.

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