Les Nuits de Pénélope

Daumier employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a smooth stone surface with greasy ink before transferring the image onto newsprint. The medium’s capacity for fine line work and tonal variation allowed him to render the intimate interior and the ethereal figure with a blend of clarity and atmospheric softness, characteristic of his printmaking practice.

At the time of its creation, Daumier was active as a caricaturist for satirical journals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari. His work frequently critiqued the French monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy during a period of political turbulence. Though the print portrays a classical narrative, its underlying tone reflects Daumier’s republican sympathies and his broader use of visual satire to question authority.

The lithograph was produced on inexpensive newsprint, a common substrate for Daumier’s prints intended for wide distribution. Original impressions remain in several public collections, having been acquired through 19th‑century art dealers who specialized in prints and later transferred to museum holdings as part of broader acquisitions of Daumier’s graphic oeuvre.