Artwork
Rêvant qu'elle a gagné le gros lingot d'or.
Rêvant qu'elle a gagné le gros lingot d'or. is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 27 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
This juxtaposition invites viewers to consider the boundary between the sitter’s present stillness and the vividness of her imagination.
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph presents a tranquil bedroom where a woman lies asleep beneath dense drapery. The composition is split between the intimate, meticulously rendered interior and a fanciful tableau that rises above her head, depicting an expansive estate with a lively coachman and racing horses. This juxtaposition invites viewers to consider the boundary between the sitter’s present stillness and the vividness of her imagination.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, a reclining woman, appears absorbed in slumber, her posture suggesting calm contemplation. Above her, a dream‑bubble illustrates a luxurious manor scene, symbolising aspirations of wealth and freedom that contrast sharply with the modest, enclosed space of the bedroom. Daumier thereby explores themes of desire, escapism, and the inner life that coexists with everyday reality.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the work showcases Daumier’s skill in rendering fine details through the medium’s capacity for tonal variation. The bedroom is depicted with precise line work and subtle shading, while the imagined estate is rendered with looser, more fluid strokes, emphasizing its ethereal quality. This duality of meticulous realism and whimsical abstraction is characteristic of Daumier’s printmaking approach.
History & Provenance
Created during Daumier’s prolific period of social commentary, the print reflects his interest in everyday scenes infused with narrative depth. While specific exhibition history is limited, the piece has been held in several European collections of 19th‑century prints, illustrating its continued relevance to scholars of French lithography.
Context
The lithograph emerges from a 19th‑century French artistic climate where prints served both as popular entertainment and as vehicles for subtle critique. Daumier, known for his satirical caricatures, often employed everyday domestic settings to comment on broader societal aspirations, aligning this work with contemporary explorations of class and imagination.
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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…
