Open full image Pin

Une Cause Criminelle

Unknown

1865

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Une Cause Criminelle is a 1865 by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1865 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This drawing shows a lawyer standing in front of a judge, pleading his case. The lawyer's client stands just behind him. The lawyer is gesturing with his hands. This scene is set in a courtroom, with the judge's bench in the background. The drawing is interesting because it shows the lawyer's emotions and body language. It gives us a glimpse into what courtrooms might have looked like in the 1800s. To learn more about the style of shading used in this drawing, look up the technique: cross-hatching.

The story of this work

Overview

A lawyer seated behind a parapet turns to address his client, who leans forward with an outstretched arm, gesturing emphatically during a courtroom exchange. The drawing, executed around 1865, reflects Daumier’s recurring focus on legal professionals and their interactions, rendered in a linear style akin to his satirical works for *Le Charivari*. It serves as a preparatory study for a related watercolor, where the hierarchical dynamic between lawyer and client is more pronounced. The dramatic pose underscores Daumier’s tendency to link courtroom scenes with theatricality, a motif present in…

Read the full account in the museum source.