Who painted Un Chapeau neuf?

Un Chapeau neuf was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1845.

Where can I see Un Chapeau neuf?

Un Chapeau neuf is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Un Chapeau neuf?

Un Chapeau neuf is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Un Chapeau neuf?

Museum-quality prints of Un Chapeau neuf are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Un Chapeau neuf

Honoré Daumier , 1845

Un Chapeau neuf is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1845, Un Chapeau neuf is a lithographic print on newsprint by the French artist Honoré Daumier. The work depicts a cramped interior where three men examine a disproportionately large top hat, their faces rendered with exaggerated noses and solemn expressions. A humorous French caption below the scene remarks on the hat’s ill fit, turning a fashion mishap into a visual joke.

Subject & Meaning

The composition satirizes the social pressure to conform to contemporary fashion trends. By focusing on the absurdity of a hat that appears too small for its wearer, Daumier highlights the pretensions of bourgeois respectability and the lengths to which individuals will go to appear stylish, even at the expense of common sense.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the image utilizes the fluid, bold lines characteristic of Daumier’s printmaking. The choice of newsprint as a support underscores the work’s intent for rapid, wide distribution. The sketchy, slightly blurred background, suggestive of curtains or smoke, creates a sense of immediacy, while the exaggerated facial features amplify the comic tone.

History & Provenance

Daumier produced the print while working as a caricaturist for periodicals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, venues that disseminated his social and political commentary throughout mid‑19th‑century France. The lithograph’s original circulation on inexpensive paper reflects its role as a popular, accessible form of satire during the era of the July Revolution and the early Second Empire.

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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…