1852
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Un Train de plaisir un peu trop gai is a 1852 ink by Honoré Daumier, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a wild, chaotic party on a train. People are dancing, drinking, and waving their hats—some even look like they’re falling off the seats. One guy is holding a bottle, another is playing a horn, and a baby is clinging to someone’s back. Below, a smaller scene shows passengers slumped in their seats, looking tired or sick. The title at the bottom reads *"Un train de plaisir un peu trop gai"*—which means "a pleasure train a little too rowdy." The artist packed a lot of energy into this small image, making it feel like the train is moving fast and the fun is getting out of hand. If you like this style, check out lithography to see how artists like Daumier made prints like this.
Honoré-Victorin Daumier was a French painter, sculptor, and printmaker, whose many works offer commentary on the social and political life in France, from the Revolution of 1830 to the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870.
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