1857
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Le désespoir des bouchers is a 1857 ink by Honoré Daumier, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This lithograph shows two butchers in a shop. One grasps a cleaver, staring ahead. The other slumps over a table, his slumped shoulders heavy with worry. Daumier made this in 1857, years before this exact print. It’s part of a series poking fun at greedy trades, though here the mood is dark, not funny. The scratchy lines of lithography make their despair feel raw. Look up Daumier, Honoré to see more of his sharp social scenes.
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.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
