Artwork
Que diable est-ce qu'ils font la-haut!
Que diable est-ce qu'ils font la-haut! is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Daumier made this in 1870 as a lithograph, think of it as a quick, funny poster inked on stone.
A big man stands waist-deep in water, arms raised like he’s just heard the sky crack open. His face is pure surprise, mouth open wide. Above him a tiny, cartoony man tumbles head-first, arms flailing like a starfish.
Daumier made this in 1870 as a lithograph, think of it as a quick, funny poster inked on stone. The joke is the size difference between the two figures. One’s a regular guy caught off guard; the other looks like a toy dropped from the clouds.
This print is at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s 1870 lithograph “Que diable est‑ce qu’ils font la‑haut!” depicts a dramatic encounter between two figures of contrasting scale. A robust, waist‑deep man in water looks upward with a startled expression, while a diminutive, exaggerated figure plummets from above, arms splayed.
Subject & Meaning
The composition plays on the absurdity of size disparity: the larger figure appears bewildered by the sudden appearance of a tiny, almost cartoonish counterpart descending from the sky. The juxtaposition suggests a humorous commentary on perspective and surprise, inviting viewers to consider the unexpected intrusion of the minor into the ordinary.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the work relies on a monochrome palette of black and white tones. Daumier employs strong contrasts and varied shading to model the muscular form and to convey the kinetic energy of the falling figure, demonstrating his facility with line and tonal gradation on stone.
History & Provenance
Created in 1870, the print is part of Daumier’s extensive output of socially satirical and comedic images. It entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, where it remains on display as an example of his printmaking practice.
Context
The lithograph emerges from a period when Daumier frequently produced caricatures and genre scenes that critiqued contemporary life. Its playful exaggeration aligns with his broader interest in the comic potential of everyday moments, rendered through the accessible medium of lithography.
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…
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