Poids et mesures

Honoré Daumier

1840

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Genre Scene

About this work

This lithograph shows two women facing each other, one hunched over and the other leaning back in surprise. Daumier often used this style to mock social classes in Paris. The sharp contrast between their postures hints at class tension without words. See how the dark outlines pop against the light background? That’s the trick of lithography. Try looking up Daumier, Honoré.