1866
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Empedocle recevant... les honneurs divins... is a 1866 ink by Honoré Daumier, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a chaotic scene with a shirtless man in the center, holding a wreath over his head. Around him, people in robes and odd hats seem to be cheering or arguing. One figure is on their knees, reaching up, while others look confused or annoyed. The background has a rough, sketchy look with faint outlines of buildings or columns. The text at the bottom hints this is a funny take on a myth—someone named Empedocle getting "divine honors" for cleaning up a river. The artist played with exaggerated faces and poses to make it look like a real event gone wild. If you like this style, check out lithography to see how artists made prints like this.
Honoré-Victorin Daumier was a French painter, sculptor, and printmaker, whose many works offer commentary on the social and political life in France, from the Revolution of 1830 to the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870.
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