1842
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Le Tondeur de chiens is a 1842 ink by Honoré Daumier, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two people in a cramped room. One person is kneeling, shaving a dog with a sharp blade, while another stands nearby, arms crossed, watching. The walls are plain, and a small easel in the back holds a painting of a dog. The floor is messy, with scraps of fur and tools scattered around. The title *Le Tondeur de chiens* means "The Dog Groomer," and the artist used quick, sketchy lines to show movement and life. The scene feels real and a little rough, like a moment caught in everyday life. Next, look up lithography to see how artists like Daumier made prints like this one.
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 page
