Artwork
Modes du printemps de 1855
Modes du printemps de 1855 is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
The title at the bottom says "Fashions of Spring 1855," so this is a snapshot of what people wore that year.
This sketch shows three people dressed in fancy, old-fashioned clothes. The woman in the front wears a huge, layered skirt and a fancy hat, sitting with her hands folded. Behind her, a man in a top hat and a woman in a big bonnet stand nearby. The background looks like a busy street with trees and buildings drawn in quick, sketchy lines.
The title at the bottom says "Fashions of Spring 1855," so this is a snapshot of what people wore that year. The artist used a rough, fast style to show everyday life instead of polished portraits.
Next, check out lithography to see how this sketch was made.
Overview
Modes du printemps de 1855 is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, created in 1855. It captures a scene of three individuals dressed in fashionable, albeit somewhat antiquated, attire amidst a bustling street backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The lithograph satirically depicts the social elite of the time, with the subjects' elaborate clothing contrasting with the everyday, mundane setting. This contrast reflects Daumier's critique of social hierarchies during the Second French Empire.
Technique & Style
Executed in a characteristic rough and rapid style, the work emphasizes the portrayal of everyday life over refined aesthetics. The sketchy lines in the background, juxtaposed with the more defined figures, highlight Daumier's expressive use of lithography.
History & Provenance
Produced during the Second French Empire, this work aligns with Daumier's republican views and his practice of using accessible print media for social commentary, as seen in his contributions to La Caricature and Le Charivari.
Context
Situated within Daumier's broader oeuvre examining public life from the 1830 Revolution to 1870, Modes du printemps de 1855 offers a snapshot of 1855's fashion trends while critiquing the social landscape of the era.
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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…
- Ce ne sont plus des femmes, ce sont des ballons
Aux Champs-Elysées...De trois a six heures
Nouveaux chapeaux de dames ...
Le rues de Paris dans les premiers jours de Septembre ...
Plus que ca d'ballon ... Excusez! ...
Danger de porter des jupons-ballons...
Le printemps annonçant son retour à Paris
Mr et Mme Prudohomme revenant de la foire ...
"Une de ces mines pudibones"
Street Scene
ça n'est rien Éléonore...ca n'est rien...
Un léger zéphir annoncant l'arrivée du printemps