1871
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Le défenseur de Calas consolé... is a 1871 by Honoré Daumier, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a tall, robed figure standing on a pedestal with the word "VOLTAIRE" carved into it. The figure has one arm raised, as if speaking or gesturing, and the other hand holds a scroll or paper. Behind them, a small guillotine looms over a wreath of flowers and a shadowy crowd. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to show movement and emotion, not smooth details. The scene looks like a mix of drama and satire, with the pedestal and text hinting at a famous historical figure. Next, look up Daumier, Honoré to see how his cartoons shaped politics and art.
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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