Artwork
Il parait... que mon gaillard est un grand scélérat...
Il parait... que mon gaillard est un grand scélérat... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1848 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1848, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier captures a tense exchange between two men. One figure, dressed in a long coat and hat, gestures emphatically while speaking, opposite a shorter‑coated companion. The backdrop is minimal, limited to a wall and a door, focusing attention on the dialogue’s intensity.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a private conversation that hints at broader social or political discourse, a common theme in Daumier’s satirical oeuvre. By isolating the speakers and emphasizing their gestures, the image suggests a critique of authority or a commentary on contemporary debates within French society.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the piece relies on stark contrasts and clean line work to delineate figures and space. Daumier’s characteristic caricatural exaggeration is evident in the figures’ postures, while the limited background underscores his focus on human interaction rather than elaborate setting.
Context
The lithograph emerged during a period of heightened political unrest in mid‑19th‑century France, when Daumier regularly contributed to satirical journals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari. His prints of the era frequently targeted the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy, reflecting his republican sympathies and engagement with the era’s social tensions.
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…
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