Honoré-Victorin Daumier
1808–1879 · 11 works
Honoré Daumier made his living through satirical prints, turning a sharp eye on French politics, professions, and social behavior. A caricature of King Louis-Philippe led to his imprisonment in 1832. He also painted and sculpted, bringing the same attention to posture and character into less topical subjects. Lawyers, spectators, collectors, and travelers can be recognized through a bend of the back or an emphatic gesture. These pictures reward looking at groups as well as individuals: shared spaces reveal differences of attention, status, fatigue, and amusement without requiring a complete written story.
11 works · 1841–1873
Compare The Print Collector with Two Lawyers. What do the poses and hands tell you before you study the faces?
