Who painted Un Jour de 1ère Représentation?

Un Jour de 1ère Représentation was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1844.

Where can I see Un Jour de 1ère Représentation?

Un Jour de 1ère Représentation is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Un Jour de 1ère Représentation?

Un Jour de 1ère Représentation is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Un Jour de 1ère Représentation?

Museum-quality prints of Un Jour de 1ère Représentation are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Un Jour de 1ère Représentation

Honoré Daumier , 1844

Un Jour de 1ère Représentation is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1844 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Honoré Daumée’s lithograph titled Un Jour de 1ère Représentation presents a brief, comic encounter between two male figures. One is attired in a formal coat and top hat, while the other appears in more relaxed clothing and offers a bouquet. The scene is rendered in a single printed sheet, typical of Daumée’s satirical prints of the mid‑19th century.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures a moment of playful absurdity: the casually dressed man presents flowers to his formally dressed counterpart, whose startled expression contrasts with the giver’s cheerful demeanor. The exaggerated facial features and body language amplify the humor, suggesting a gentle mockery of social conventions and the pretensions of the bourgeois class.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, the image relies on the artist’s direct drawing on a limestone surface, allowing for fluid lines and bold tonal contrasts. Daumée’s characteristic use of caricature, overstated gestures and distorted faces, creates a lively, almost theatrical quality, while the limited palette of black and white emphasizes the composition’s comedic timing.

History & Provenance

Created during Daumée’s prolific period of social satire in the 1850s, the print was likely issued as part of a series commenting on contemporary Parisian life. Original impressions have circulated among private collectors and institutions specializing in 19th‑century French graphic art, though specific ownership records for this particular sheet remain limited.

Un jour de représentation a benéfice, 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…