Artwork
En Irlande
En Irlande 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.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1844, En Irlande is a lithographic print on newsprint by French artist Honoré Daumier. The work belongs to his prolific series of satirical images that appeared in popular journals of the time, notably La Caricature and Le Charivari. Its modest material, cheap paper and a single‑color litho, reflects Daumier’s intent to reach a broad readership with timely social commentary.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts three caricatured men in a poorly lit interior.
The image depicts three caricatured men in a poorly lit interior. One robed figure leans on a table with a disgruntled expression; a second stands with hands in his pockets, while a third reclines, smirking and holding a newspaper. The exaggerated features and sharp gestures convey a mocking tone, aimed at a contemporary figure named Stephens, whose identity was the target of a sarcastic remark printed beneath the scene.
Technique & Style
Daumier employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a stone with a greasy medium before transferring the image onto newsprint. Bold, sweeping lines define the characters, while cross‑hatching creates contrast and depth in the dim setting. The exaggerated proportions and expressive faces are characteristic of Daumier’s caricatural style, which blends humor with incisive observation.
History & Provenance
Issued as part of Daumier’s regular contributions to the politically engaged periodicals of the July Monarchy, the print circulated widely among the literate public. Its appearance in both La Caricature and Le Charivari situates it within the broader republican critique of monarchical and clerical authority that defined Daumier’s output during the 1840s.
Context
The 1840s in France were marked by intense political debate, with republican sentiment challenging the restored monarchy. Daumier, himself a supporter of democratic ideals, used his art to lampoon those he saw as upholding the old order. En Irlande exemplifies how visual satire functioned as a rapid, accessible form of political discourse, reaching readers through inexpensive newspaper formats.
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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…
Le prèvenu
Mossieu ... je suis ce mari aux dépens duquel
Plaidez... ça sera un bon tour a jouer...
Ah! Vous l'êtes ... que voulez-vous que ...
Un comité écoutant la lecture d'une tragédie
Vous m'avez injurié dans votre plaidoirie...
Je crois vous avoir ... prouvé que mon client ...
Chez un usurier
Vous aviez faim... ce n'est pas une raison...
Eh bien, mon cher, vous avez perdu ...- Irlande et Jamaique - Patience!...
Attendez... il faut encore ceci...