Artwork
Les bourgeois ...
Les bourgeois ... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Honoré Daumée’s lithograph titled Les bourgeois depicts a quiet exchange between two men inside a butcher’s shop.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumée’s lithograph titled Les bourgeois depicts a quiet exchange between two men inside a butcher’s shop. The composition is framed by the shop’s fixtures and hanging cuts of meat, creating a confined yet detailed interior scene.
Subject & Meaning
One figure clutches a slab of meat suspended from the ceiling, while the other engages in conversation, suggesting a blend of everyday commerce and social interaction. The calm dialogue set against the raw, visceral surroundings underscores the ordinary yet intimate nature of market life.
Technique & Style
Daumier employs stark contrasts of light and shadow to model the space, using chiaroscuro to give depth to the cramped shop. The lithographic lines render the texture of the meat and the figures’ clothing, while the tonal gradations emphasize the interplay between the illuminated foreground and the darker background.
Context
Created as part of Daumier’s series of social observations, the print reflects mid‑19th‑century French interest in depicting the working class and urban settings. The focus on a mundane commercial scene aligns with his broader interest in the daily realities of bourgeois life.
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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…
Vot' Bourgeois est-y pour liberté de la boucherie?
Comment ... c'est-t'y dieu possible! ...
Le désespoir des bouchers
Allons, v'la encore le mouton qui a haussé
Eh! Ben ... puisque vous voulez qu' les bouchers ...
Tristesse des bouchers de Paris ...
Hein! comme il regarde les cervelas...
Précaution indispensable que prennent les Parisiens ...
M'ame Bonneau... J'aime m'ame Bonneau moi!...