Artwork
L'eau est-elle bonne? ...
L'eau est-elle bonne? ... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s 1864 lithograph L’eau est‑elle bonne?... / Une pleine eau depicts a bustling public bath. The print is filled with numerous figures engaged in swimming, conversation and leisure, set against a backdrop of sharply rendered stone walls. The composition captures a moment of collective recreation while retaining Daumier’s characteristic satirical edge.
Subject & Meaning
The scene gathers a variety of characters whose distorted, almost caricatured faces emphasize a playful mockery of contemporary society. By exaggerating physiognomy, Daumier draws attention to the universal human desire for refreshment and social interaction, suggesting both the humor and the underlying social commentary inherent in public leisure spaces of the era.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the work was created by drawing directly on a smooth limestone slab with greasy crayons. After moistening the stone, ink adheres only to the drawn areas, allowing Daumier to achieve bold outlines and flat tonal fields. The geometric treatment of the architectural elements and the crisp, angular lines reinforce his satirical visual language.
Context
Public baths were common urban fixtures in mid‑nineteenth‑century France, serving both hygienic and social functions. Daumier, known for his incisive observations of everyday life, chose this setting to explore class mingling and collective behavior, situating the print within his broader oeuvre of socially aware caricature and genre scenes.
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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…
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