Artwork

Voyageurs appréciant de moins en moins les wagons de troisième classe...

Voyageurs appréciant de moins en moins les wagons de troisième classe... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1856 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:upper center in plate: LES AGREMENTS DES CHEMINS DE FER; upper right in plate: 2; lower left in plate: h.D.; lower center in plate: 1002; bLin plate: mou Martinet,146,r.Rivoli et 41,r. Vivienne.; bRin plate: Lith.Destou ches,28,r.Paradis Pre Paris; bCp//: Voyageurs appreciant de moins en moins les wagons de troisieme cl asse,pendant l'hiver.; bR //stamped: DEPOT LEGAL / Seine / No. / 1856; bR //by later hand in brown ink over stamp: [illegible]; by later hand, lower left verso in graphite: 2824 ii / 13HD21

About this work

Overview

Honoré Daumier's 1856 lithograph Voyageurs appréciant de moins en moins les wagons de troisième classe... captures a moment of discomfort in a crowded third-class railway carriage, critiquing social disparities in mid-19th-century France.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts weary, tightly packed travelers in a poorly ventilated carriage, contrasting their hardships with the serene snowfall outside, highlighting the plight of the working class through subtle yet potent satire.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography on wove paper, the piece features quick, expressive lines conveying movement and emotion, characteristic of Daumier's accessible printmaking style aimed at a broad audience.

History & Provenance

Created during Daumier's prolific period of social commentary for publications like La Caricature and Le Charivari, this lithograph reflects his republican democrat stance, critiquing the establishment through mass-produced art.

Context

Part of a broader critique of monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy, this work leverages the accessibility of lithography to address the struggles of the common man in France's mid-19th century social landscape.

Legacy

While specific legacy details of this piece are not provided, Daumier's overall body of satirical prints, including this work, contributed significantly to the development of social commentary in art, influencing future generations of artists and caricaturists.

The Third Class Carriage, 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…