Artwork
Dites donc, président, impossible d'attraper un lièvre...
Dites donc, président, impossible d'attraper un lièvre... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Honoré‑Victorin Daumier’s 1849 lithograph titled Dites donc, président, impossible d’attraper un lièvre.
About this work
Overview
Two figures dominate the composition: a formally dressed man in a suit and hat, grasping the arm of a partially unclothed companion who carries a bag.
Honoré‑Victorin Daumier’s 1849 lithograph titled Dites donc, président, impossible d’attraper un lièvre... presents a brief, animated encounter on a dock. Two figures dominate the composition: a formally dressed man in a suit and hat, grasping the arm of a partially unclothed companion who carries a bag. Their expressions convey surprise or irritation, while a boat and a modest structure recede in the background, suggesting a fleeting, everyday moment captured in print.
Subject & Meaning
The print juxtaposes a respectable, possibly official figure with a more rustic, unkempt individual, hinting at a social commentary on class or authority. Daumier’s known republican sympathies and satirical approach suggest the scene lampoons bureaucratic inefficiency or the absurdities of power, using the exaggerated gestures and facial reactions to underscore the critique.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the work relies on rapid, sketch‑like lines that convey motion and immediacy. Daumier’s hand‑drawn strokes emphasize the characters’ tension and the fleeting nature of the encounter, while the limited tonal range typical of lithographic prints enhances the stark contrast between the figures and their surroundings.
History & Provenance
Created during Daumier’s prolific period as a caricaturist for satirical journals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, the lithograph reflects his engagement with contemporary political discourse. While specific ownership records are scarce, the print has been documented in collections focusing on 19th‑century French political satire.
Context
The image emerges from a turbulent era spanning the July Revolution of 1830 to the collapse of the Second Empire in 1870, a time when Daumium regularly targeted the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy. His work functioned as visual journalism, offering critique through humor and exaggeration, and this lithograph aligns with that tradition of political commentary.
Legacy
Daumier’s lithographs, including this 1849 piece, contributed to the development of modern caricature and social satire in print media. By blending swift draftsmanship with pointed observation, the work exemplifies the artist’s influence on subsequent generations of illustrators who employ humor to interrogate power structures.
Own this work as a print
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…
