Who painted Télémaque interrogé par les sages?

Télémaque interrogé par les sages was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1842.

Where can I see Télémaque interrogé par les sages?

Télémaque interrogé par les sages is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Télémaque interrogé par les sages?

Télémaque interrogé par les sages is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Télémaque interrogé par les sages?

Museum-quality prints of Télémaque interrogé par les sages are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Télémaque interrogé par les sages

Honoré Daumier , 1842

Télémaque interrogé par les sages is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1842 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Honoré Daumier’s lithograph Télémaque interrogé par les sages was produced in 1842. Executed as a single‑plate print, the work presents a compact scene in which a youthful figure stands before a council of older men, rendered with the loose, gestural line typical of Daumier’s draftsmanship.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a young man, hands clasped behind his back, confronting a group of senior figures seated on a bench. Their bare chests, a held book or tablet, and the austere, rocky backdrop suggest a setting of counsel or examination, echoing the classical episode of Telemachus being questioned by the wise elders.

Technique & Style

Daumier employed the lithographic process to achieve a rapid, sketch‑like quality. The lines are intentionally uneven and energetic, conveying the varied expressions of the characters, confusion, irritation, indifference, while the limited tonal range emphasizes the chiaroscuro of the dim interior and distant trees.

Context

Created during a period of intense political turbulence in France, the print reflects Daumier’s broader engagement with republican ideas.

Created during a period of intense political turbulence in France, the print reflects Daumier’s broader engagement with republican ideas. Though the subject is drawn from ancient myth, the atmosphere of interrogation can be read as a subtle commentary on the authority of the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy that Daumier frequently satirized in his caricatures for journals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari.

History & Provenance

The lithograph was issued as part of Daumier’s early print output, intended for a limited audience familiar with his satirical publications. Original impressions remain in several European museum collections, where they are cited as early examples of his transition from newspaper caricature to more autonomous artistic statements.

Présentation d'Ulysse a Nausica, Honoré Daumier

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Artist & collection

Artist

Honoré Daumier

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…