Who painted The Boulevard des Italiens?

The Boulevard des Italiens was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1862.

Where can I see The Boulevard des Italiens?

The Boulevard des Italiens is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is The Boulevard des Italiens?

The Boulevard des Italiens is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

The Boulevard des Italiens

Honoré Daumier , 1862

The Boulevard des Italiens is a print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1921.1487
Credit line: Gift of Ralph King

About this work

Overview

Honoré Daumier’s 1862 print titled The Boulevard des Italiens is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection. Executed as a monochrome sketch, the work captures a bustling Parisian street scene with a focus on the figures that populate it.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a crowd of well‑dressed pedestrians: men in tall black hats and tailored suits, and a woman holding a fan who appears disengaged. By emphasizing the varied postures and expressions, Daumier offers a candid glimpse into urban life, highlighting both fashion and the anonymity of the modern city.

Technique & Style

Rendered in swift, gestural lines without colour, the print relies on contrast and shading to convey depth. Facial features are deliberately exaggerated, prominent noses, pronounced chins, underscoring Daumier’s satirical approach and aligning the work with the realist impulse to depict everyday reality rather than idealized beauty.

History & Provenance

Created in 1862, the print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition (specific details of purchase are not recorded in the available sources). It remains a representative example of Daumier’s mid‑century output.

Context

The Boulevard des Italiens reflects the mid‑nineteenth‑century fascination with Parisian street life, a theme explored by many realist artists. Daumier’s focus on ordinary people and his use of caricature place the work within the broader movement that sought to document the social fabric of contemporary France.

Le Boulevard des Italiens, Charles Maurand

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…