Who painted A. Granier de Cassagnac?

A. Granier de Cassagnac was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1849.

Where can I see A. Granier de Cassagnac?

A. Granier de Cassagnac is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A. Granier de Cassagnac?

A. Granier de Cassagnac is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of A. Granier de Cassagnac?

Museum-quality prints of A. Granier de Cassagnac are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

A. Granier de Cassagnac

Honoré Daumier , 1849

A. Granier de Cassagnac is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1849, this lithographic print by Honoré Daumier portrays the journalist and politician Adolphe Granier de Cassagnac. The image shows the figure in formal attire, poised on a staircase with one leg lifted, his mouth open as if speaking. In the distance, a cluster of men bearing flags or banners adds a sense of collective activity to the scene.

Subject & Meaning

Daumier’s depiction targets Granier de Cassagnac, a prominent voice in French politics, using exaggerated posture and expression to suggest vanity or rhetorical fervor. The surrounding figures and symbols of protest hint at the turbulent political climate and Daumier’s intent to critique public figures through satire.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the work employs the medium’s capacity for fine line work and tonal variation, allowing Daumier to reproduce the image for wide distribution. His characteristic caricatural exaggeration is evident in the subject’s features, while the composition balances detailed foreground with a loosely rendered background.

History & Provenance

The print emerged during Daumier’s active period contributing to oppositional journals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari. Produced amid the Second Republic’s political upheavals, the work circulated among readers of these publications, reinforcing Daumier’s reputation as a visual commentator on contemporary affairs.

Context

Mid‑19th‑century France was marked by intense debate over monarchy, republicanism, and social reform. Daumier’s prints, including this portrait, functioned as visual editorials, using humor and distortion to question authority and influence public opinion during a time of rapid political change.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Honoré-Victorin Daumier was a French painter, sculptor, and printmaker, whose many works offer commentary on the social and political life in France, from the Revolution of 1830 to the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870.