Artwork
Parisien transportant dans un autre quartier...
Parisien transportant dans un autre quartier... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1847 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s 1847 lithograph, titled Parisien transportant dans un autre quartier...
Honoré Daumier’s 1847 lithograph, titled Parisien transportant dans un autre quartier..., captures a fleeting moment of urban labor in mid‑nineteenth‑century Paris. Rendered in a single sheet, the print shows two men moving goods through a street, their activity framed by a storefront bearing the sign “Déménagement Pour Civilis.” The composition emphasizes the kinetic energy of everyday city life.
Subject & Meaning
The scene focuses on a laborer in a top hat carrying a birdcage and a bundle of sticks, while his companion pushes a cart with a large wheel. By depicting ordinary workers rather than aristocrats or politicians, Daumier highlights the often‑overlooked routines of the working class during the July Monarchy and the early Second Republic, inviting viewers to consider the social fabric of Paris.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the image relies on swift, sketch‑like lines that convey motion and immediacy. Daumier’s hand‑drawn marks retain a spontaneous quality, suggesting a rapid observation of the street rather than a polished studio composition. The limited tonal range typical of lithographic prints enhances the contrast between figures and architectural backdrop.
History & Provenance
Created in 1847, the print was produced during Daumier’s prolific period as a contributor to satirical journals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari. While primarily a commercial print, it circulated among the same audience that consumed his caricatures, reinforcing his reputation as a chronicler of contemporary Parisian life.
Context
The lithograph emerges from a time of rapid urban transformation in Paris, when the city’s streets were increasingly filled with moving vans, market stalls, and a growing labor force. Daumier’s focus on a moving operation reflects broader concerns about modernization, mobility, and the shifting class dynamics 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…
Ah! Gringalet d'Paris... tu viendras faire danser...
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2 heures
Et parlant a sa portière ainsi déclarée...
Et parlant a sa portière ainsi déclarée...
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