Who painted Trois heures?

Trois heures was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1839.

Where can I see Trois heures?

Trois heures is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Trois heures?

Trois heures is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Trois heures?

Museum-quality prints of Trois heures are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Trois heures

Honoré Daumier , 1839

Trois heures is a crayon print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1839 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:upper center in plate: LA JOURNEE DU CELIBATAIRE.; by later hand, upper right in graphite: 9; lower left in image in plate: h.D.; lower left below image in plate: Imp. d'Aubert & Cie.; lower center below image in plate: Daumier Lith; lower right below image in plate: Chez Banger R du Croissant 16; across bottom in plate: TROIS HEURES / Monsieur Coquelet à la police correctionnelle, admire cette institution qui met à / l'abri des audacieuse l'entrepriser d'être [l'?] corrompu[?]; by later hand, lower left to lower center in graphite: L.D. 615 HD 2006; by later hand, lower right in graphite: F / 21786; by later hand, lower right verso in graphite: os 14 Set of 12

About this work

Overview

Created in 1839, Trois heures is a black crayon lithograph on wove paper by Honoré Daumier. The work belongs to the artist’s prolific series of satirical prints that circulated during a turbulent phase of French politics. It captures a bustling interior scene populated by formally dressed men, a small dog, and a few pieces of furniture, rendered with swift, decisive lines.

Subject & Meaning

The image depicts a crowded room where gentlemen in coats and hats stand close together; one figure holds a cane, another leans on a table laden with hats, while a dog looks upward from the centre. The title, La Journée du Célibataire (The Bachelor’s Day), and a humorous caption about a hat stand suggest a playful commentary on single men’s social habits and the pretensions of fashionable society.

Technique & Style

Daumier employed the lithographic process, drawing directly with black crayon onto the stone surface before transferring the image to paper. The handling of line is brisk and economical, emphasizing contours over detail, which creates a sense of movement and slight disorder. The choice of wove paper provides a smooth, uniform ground that accentuates the stark contrast between ink and substrate.

History & Provenance

The print emerged from Daumier’s work for satirical journals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, where he regularly published political and social caricatures. Though originally intended for a broad readership, the lithograph later entered private collections and museum holdings, reflecting the growing appreciation of Daumier’s contributions to 19th‑century print culture.

Context

Produced amid the aftermath of the July Revolution and the rise of republican sentiment, the work aligns with Daumier’s republican sympathies. By targeting the aristocracy, clergy, and bourgeois manners, the lithograph participates in a broader visual discourse that used humor and exaggeration to critique established power structures during a period of intense political debate in France.

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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…