Artwork
La Queue au spectacle
La Queue au spectacle is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
La Queue au spectacle is a lithograph on newsprint created by Honoré Daumier in 1840. It is a satirical representation of everyday life in Paris, characteristic of the artist's work.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a crowded and tense scene in a theater balcony, where spectators are packed tightly and a guard blocks the exit. The title suggests the scene is related to waiting for tickets, and the artist's use of sketchy lines conveys the crowd's frustration.
Technique & Style
Daumier employed lithography, a printmaking technique, to produce the work. The artist's characteristic satirical style is evident in the use of quick, sketchy lines and exaggerated representation of the crowd's tension, reflecting his engagement with contemporary urban life.
Context
The lithograph was likely produced for a publication such as La Caricature or Le Charivari, reflecting Daumier's critique of social structures and his republican democratic views.
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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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