Who painted Great Removal of the Constitutional Establishment?

Great Removal of the Constitutional Establishment was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1846.

Where can I see Great Removal of the Constitutional Establishment?

Great Removal of the Constitutional Establishment is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Great Removal of the Constitutional Establishment?

Great Removal of the Constitutional Establishment is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Great Removal of the Constitutional Establishment

Honoré Daumier , 1846

Great Removal of the Constitutional Establishment is a print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1846 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1954.733
Credit line: Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Prasse Collection

About this work

This print shows a crowd of people pulling a big building off its foundation.

This print shows a crowd of people pulling a big building off its foundation. The building is labeled "Constitution." People use ropes, levers, and their own strength. Some look angry. Others seem tired.

Daumier made this for a magazine called Le Charivari. It mocked France’s 1846 politics. He used simple lines but packed in emotion.

Look up Honoré Daumier to see more of his sharp political prints.

Overview

Great Removal of the Constitutional Establishment is a lithographic print published in Le Charivari on June 8, 1846, created by Honoré Daumier. The work depicts a dramatic scene of a crowd dismantling a building labeled 'Constitution'.

Subject & Meaning

The print satirizes the French political climate of 1846, specifically targeting the perceived instability or manipulation of the constitutional system. The mixed emotions of the crowd, anger and exhaustion, underscore the complexities of public sentiment towards political change.

Technique & Style

Daumier employed simple, expressive lines characteristic of his lithographic technique, yet infused the scene with intense emotional depth. This stylistic choice enhanced the print's immediacy and satirical impact.

History & Provenance

Originally published in Le Charivari, a magazine known for its political caricatures, the print is part of Daumier's prolific output of socially and politically engaged works for the publication.

Context

Created amidst the tumultuous years leading up to the French Revolution of 1848, the print reflects widespread discontent with the constitutional monarchy and the political establishment of the time.

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…