1834
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Les Mannequins Politiques is a 1834 ink by Honoré Daumier, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This lithograph shows two men in suits pulling strings to move blank-faced mannequins. The mannequins have labels like "MARINE" and "PRESIDENCE" on their chests. It’s a sharp joke about how political leaders act like puppets. Daumier made this during France’s rough 1830s. He used lithography, a printing method that let him reach lots of people fast. The style looks rough, but that’s the point—it matches his anger. You’ll see his bold lines if you check lithography next.
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 →
