Artwork
Le Jour ou il s'agit de faire une conquête
Le Jour ou il s'agit de faire une conquête is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1847 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1847, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier captures a brief, interior scene populated by three men. The work is rendered in a loose, sketch‑like manner that emphasizes gesture and immediacy, giving the viewer a sense of a fleeting moment caught in the artist’s hand.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a man in a vest passing a small object to a second figure whose back faces the viewer, while a third, shirtless individual leans in attentively. The cramped, stone‑like walls and the hurried atmosphere suggest a clandestine or conspiratorial exchange, resonating with Daumier’s interest in social intrigue and political maneuvering.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the image relies on rapid, sketchy lines that convey movement and tension. Daumier’s use of stark contrasts and minimal shading heightens the sense of urgency, while the medium’s capacity for swift reproduction aligns with his practice of producing timely commentary for the press.
History & Provenance
Daumier, a prolific caricaturist for periodicals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, produced this work during a period of intense political satire following the 1830 Revolution. The print reflects his republican sympathies and his role as a visual critic of the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy throughout the mid‑19th century.
Context
The lithograph emerges from a France marked by shifting regimes, from the July Monarchy to the Second Empire. Daumier’s prints served as a rapid response to current events, and this piece exemplifies his method of using everyday scenes to comment on broader societal tensions and the desire for political change.
Own this work as a print
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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