Artwork
Allons bon!... il parait... chasse réservée
Allons bon!... il parait... chasse réservée is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1864, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier captures a fleeting, energetic moment featuring two figures and a small dog. The composition is animated, with the characters caught mid‑leap, arms outstretched, and mouths open, conveying a sense of hurried motion and spontaneity that typifies Daumier’s lively graphic work.
Subject & Meaning
The print portrays a bustling chase: a man in a hat lunges forward, pursued by a diminutive dog, while a second figure follows in the background, also in motion. Though the scene appears playful, Daumier’s penchant for satire suggests a possible commentary on social pursuits or the frantic chase for status within contemporary French society.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the image relies on bold, confident lines and stark contrasts to emphasize movement. Daumier’s hand‑drawn strokes generate a vivid immediacy, while the exaggerated gestures and expressive facial features heighten the caricatural tone, reinforcing the work’s satirical edge.
Context
Produced during the turbulent years between the 1830 Revolution and the collapse of the Second Empire, the print belongs to Daumier’s broader series of socially critical images. His contributions to periodicals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari used similar visual strategies to question authority, class privilege, and the shifting political landscape of 19th‑century France.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
