1844
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
An Indian Custom is a 1844 by Honoré Daumier, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A man in traditional Indian clothing sits cross-legged, writing with a pen. Around him, French officials in hats and coats watch, arms crossed, faces stern. The room feels tense, like a test is happening. This image is not really about India. It was drawn for a French humor magazine in 1844. The scene mocks how French bureaucrats treated people from colonies. The title tricks you—it’s really about control and power in everyday moments. Honoré Daumier often used satire to show unfairness. Look up more about france, 19th century to see how art reflected social tensions. (Word count: 107)
This print was published in Le Charivari (November 9, 1844) as plate 30 from the series The Best Days in Life.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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 pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
