Artwork
The Shepherds of Virgil
The Shepherds of Virgil is a print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1842 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1965.546
- Credit line
- Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Prasse Collection
About this work
Overview
The Shepherds of Virgil is a print by Honoré Daumier, published in the Parisian newspaper Le Charivari on December 31, 1842, as part of the series Ancient History.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts three elderly men in rustic attire seated on a log, one playing a pipe and another holding a staff, conveying a sense of tired yet contemplative camaraderie. The image humorously subverts traditional representations of ancient scenes by dressing them in tattered clothing.
Technique & Style
Daumier's work exemplifies the satirical and caricatural style characteristic of his contributions to Le Charivari, where artists frequently reinterpreted classical themes with a humorous or critical edge.
History & Provenance
The print is now part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Artist & collection
Artist
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…
