Who painted L'Eau du puits de Grenelle?

L'Eau du puits de Grenelle was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1841.

Where can I see L'Eau du puits de Grenelle?

L'Eau du puits de Grenelle is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is L'Eau du puits de Grenelle?

L'Eau du puits de Grenelle is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of L'Eau du puits de Grenelle?

Museum-quality prints of L'Eau du puits de Grenelle are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

L'Eau du puits de Grenelle

Honoré Daumier , 1841

L'Eau du puits de Grenelle is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1841 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1841, L'Eau du puits de Grenelle is a lithographic print by Honoré Daumier. Executed on low‑grade newsprint, the work exemplifies the artist’s prolific output of socially charged images that circulated widely in the press of the era. Its modest size and inexpensive material underscore its function as a quickly produced commentary rather than a formal artwork.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a gentleman wearing a top hat bending to drink from a Parisian well. The figure’s ordinary activity is rendered with a hint of irony, inviting viewers to consider the everyday realities of urban life and the disparities between the bourgeois façade and the underlying social conditions of the time.

Technique & Style

Daumery employed a lithographic process that left the ink’s lines deliberately rough and sketch‑like, contrasting with the smoother prints typical of the period. The use of cheap newsprint and a seemingly hasty hand conveys a sense of immediacy, as if the image were a snapshot taken on the spot, reinforcing its satirical intent.

Context

At the time of its production Daumier was a prominent contributor to satirical journals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari. His republican sympathies drove him to target the monarchy, clergy, and other authority figures, using the accessible medium of print to reach a broad, politically engaged readership.

History & Provenance

The lithograph entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it is displayed among other works that illustrate Daumier’s engagement with 19th‑century French political life. Its presence in a major museum highlights the enduring relevance of his incisive visual commentary.

L'Eau du puits de Grenelle, Honoré Daumier

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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…