1852
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Il me semble que j'aperçois... un... chien... pas muselé!... is a 1852 ink by Honoré Daumier, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
Three men in fancy 19th-century clothes stand close together, looking surprised or annoyed. The guy in the middle has his hands on his hips, the one on the left is adjusting his coat, and the one on the right is laughing or shouting. All three wear top hats and long coats, and the background is plain and dark, like a street at night. The middle man’s expression is especially dramatic—his mouth is open wide, and his face looks twisted. This sketch was drawn quickly, with loose lines that make the scene feel lively and full of energy. Next, look up lithography to see how artists like Daumier 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.
See the richer artist page
