1857
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
V'la une p'tite femme qu'est pas paresseuse ... is a 1857 ink by Honoré Daumier, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
A woman in a large dress pulls a rope with all her might while another figure sits calmly, holding something to their face like a mask or tool. They’re on a simple stage, caught in a moment of effort and calm side by side. This print is part of a series where Daumier mocked the exaggerated emotions in popular theater. He made over 300 lithographs poking fun at actors and social types. The contrast between the hard-working woman and the idle seated figure feels like a joke about laziness and showiness in city life. lithography
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.
See the richer artist page
