Artwork
Madame Prudhomme...

Madame Prudhomme... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1854 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left in image: hD 676; upper center: CROQUIS AQUATIQUES; upper right: 2; lower left: maison Marinet, 116 rue de Rivoli et 41, r. vivienne; lower right: Lith Destouches, 28, r. Paradis, Paris; lower center: Madame Prudhomme, ne nous pressons pas, rappelons-nous qui la dignité doit présider à tous les actes
About this work
Overview
Madame Prudhomme, a lithograph on wove paper created by Honoré Daumier in 1854, exemplifies the artist's satirical approach to depicting French society during the mid-19th century.
Subject & Meaning
The print portrays a casual beach scene with a woman, man, and child, amidst other background figures. Beneath its everyday surface, the work likely critiques aspects of contemporary French life, aligning with Daumier's republican democrat stance and penchant for social commentary.
Technique & Style
Daumier employed bold lines and vivid colors to infuse the scene with energy and movement. The use of plaid patterns in the woman's dress and the man's shirt adds visual complexity, highlighting his attention to detail in capturing mundane life.
History & Provenance
Originally published in a satirical journal like La Caricature or Le Charivari, this lithograph is part of Daumier's extensive body of work critiquing the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy during the mid-19th century.
Context
Created during a period of social and political upheaval in France, Madame Prudhomme reflects Daumier's ongoing commentary on the lives and hypocrisies of the French bourgeoisie and upper classes.
Legacy
As part of Daumier's prolific satirical output, Madame Prudhomme contributes to the artist's legacy as a keen observer and critic of 19th-century French society, influencing future generations of satirists and social commentators.
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…


















