Artwork
Une profession de foi
Une profession de foi 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
Two male figures dominate the composition: a formally dressed, upright gentleman on the left and a more casually attired, relaxed companion on the right.
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph Une profession de foi presents an interior scene centered on a shallow pool. Two male figures dominate the composition: a formally dressed, upright gentleman on the left and a more casually attired, relaxed companion on the right. The stark contrast in clothing and posture creates a visual dialogue that invites reflection on differing social roles within a shared space.
Subject & Meaning
The work juxtaposes the conventions of propriety with a laid‑back demeanor, using the pool’s reflective surface to amplify the tension between the figures. The formally attired individual, standing rigidly, embodies the expectations of respectable society, while the loosely clothed figure, leaning back, suggests a freer, perhaps subversive, approach to personal identity. This contrast underscores Daumian’s interest in social stratification and human behavior.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, Daumier employed the medium’s capacity for fine line work and tonal variation to render the figures and surrounding architecture with clarity. The print’s crisp outlines and subtle shading convey the texture of fabrics and the sheen of water, while the relatively flat background emphasizes the two characters, a hallmark of Daumier’s satirical yet observational style.
History & Provenance
Created during Daumier’s prolific mid‑19th‑century period, Une profession de foi was produced as part of his extensive series of lithographic studies of contemporary life. The print has circulated among private collections before entering public holdings, where it continues to be referenced as an example of Daumier’s engagement with everyday scenes and social commentary.
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Artist & collection
Artist
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…
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