1843
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
L'Héritier présomptif is a 1843 ink by Honoré Daumier, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a kitchen scene with a man hanging upside down from a pot hook, arms flailing. His face is red and twisted, like he’s in pain. Nearby, a pot hangs on the wall, a bucket sits on the floor, and a broom leans against the wall. In the background, two small figures stand on a shelf, watching him. The caption below jokes that this is a "first lesson in philosophy" about life’s ups and downs. The man’s exaggerated expression and messy kitchen suggest he’s dealing with chaos. Next, check out lithography to see how this sketch was made.
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.
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