Artwork
Au nom du ciel, Théodore ne regarde pas ...
Au nom du ciel, Théodore ne regarde pas ... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1846 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1846, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier presents a stark, rocky setting occupied by a formally dressed man and a woman in a long dress and bonnet. The pair appear caught in a moment of tension: the man leans forward as though climbing, while the woman clutches his coat, suggesting a shared, arduous journey.
Subject & Meaning
The composition explores the challenges inherent in companionship. The man's forward-leaning posture implies effort and ambition, whereas the woman's grip on his coat conveys dependence and support. Together they embody the uneasy balance between individual striving and mutual reliance that characterizes joint travel or partnership.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the work utilizes the medium’s capacity for fine line work and tonal variation to render the rugged terrain and the figures’ clothing. Daumier’s handling of contrast highlights the starkness of the landscape and the tension between the two characters, emphasizing both physical and emotional strain.
History & Provenance
The print dates to the mid‑19th century, a period when Daumier was prolific in both caricature and social commentary. While specific ownership records are limited, the lithograph reflects the artist’s interest in everyday scenes that reveal broader human conditions, a theme recurrent throughout his oeuvre.
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.
