Who painted Expérience qui réussit trop bien?

Expérience qui réussit trop bien was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1853.

Where can I see Expérience qui réussit trop bien?

Expérience qui réussit trop bien is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Expérience qui réussit trop bien?

Expérience qui réussit trop bien is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Expérience qui réussit trop bien?

Museum-quality prints of Expérience qui réussit trop bien are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Expérience qui réussit trop bien

Honoré Daumier , 1853

Expérience qui réussit trop bien is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1853 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The work exemplifies his prolific output of satirical imagery, produced alongside his painting and sculpture.

Created in 1853, Expérience qui réussit trop bien is a lithographic print by Honoré Daumier. The work exemplifies his prolific output of satirical imagery, produced alongside his painting and sculpture. It belongs to the series of caricatures Daumier supplied to Parisian journals, reflecting the artist’s engagement with the social and political climate of mid‑nineteenth‑century France under the Second Empire.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts a domestic interior thrown into disorder: a startled woman sits at a table while a long‑nosed man leans over her, his legs entangled with a cat and a dog. Spectators in the background appear bewildered. The caption suggests a botched magic trick, allowing Daumier to mock pretensions of scientific or theatrical spectacle and to lampoon the folly of those who claim expertise.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, the image relies on rapid, sketch‑like lines that convey immediacy and chaos. Daumier’s handling of the stone matrix permits bold contrasts and fluid shading, emphasizing the exaggerated gestures of the figures. The loose drawing style enhances the comedic effect, aligning the work with the newspaper caricatures for which the artist was renowned.

History & Provenance

The print first appeared in one of Daumier’s regular outlets, such as La Caricature or Le Charivari, venues that disseminated his political satire to a broad readership. Like many of his prints, it circulated in multiples, reaching a contemporary audience attuned to the tensions between republican ideals and imperial authority in post‑revolutionary France.

Context

During the early 1850s France grappled with the consolidation of the Second Empire after the 1848 revolutions. Daumier’s work consistently targeted the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy, employing humor to critique the prevailing power structures. This lithograph fits within that broader program, using a domestic mishap as an allegory for the larger societal missteps of the era.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Honoré Daumier

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…