Artwork
Parisiens prenant... leurs précautions...
Parisiens prenant... leurs précautions... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1857, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier portrays a crowd navigating a water‑logged Parisian street. Figures in period dress, top‑hatted men and women in long skirts and headscarves, move past a bridge and surrounding buildings, rendered in muted greys and browns that emphasize the soggy atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a moment of urban inconvenience, likely alluding to the frequent flooding of Paris in the mid‑nineteenth century. By depicting ordinary citizens coping with the deluge, Daumier injects a subtle critique of municipal management and the broader social conditions under the Second Empire, consistent with his satirical outlook.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the work benefits from the medium’s capacity for fine line work and tonal variation. Daumier’s handling of the stone plate yields loose, expressive strokes that convey motion and texture, while the limited palette reinforces the scene’s somber mood and draws attention to the figures’ collective effort.
History & Provenance
Daumier, renowned for his contributions to satirical journals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, produced this print during a prolific period of political commentary. The lithograph circulated among the period’s print market, reflecting the artist’s commitment to republican ideals and his engagement with contemporary urban issues.
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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…
Une nouvelle maniére de descendre le fleuve de la vie
Soyez donc pas dégouté comme ca ...
Il faut avouer que je viens d'avoir une ...
Précaution indispensable que prennent les Parisiens ...
Votre maison me fait l'effet de devoir ...
Toujours la heunesse-flourens
Pardon, Mr Le Maire! ... pourriez-vous ...
Ayant abusé du raisin de 1857
Monsieur Prudhomme ... Je me noie! ...
Monsieur le concierge, allant en soirée