Artwork
Au restaurant a 32 sous
Au restaurant a 32 sous 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
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph *Au restaurant à 32 sous* presents a compact view of a bustling eatery. Executed in the mid‑19th century, the print captures a moment of everyday French dining, focusing on two figures—a server holding a dish and a patron seated with a piece of bread.
Subject & Meaning
The composition highlights the interaction between service staff and customer, reflecting the social rhythms of public dining in France. By isolating these two participants, Daumier draws attention to the subtle exchanges that define ordinary urban life.
Technique & Style
Created with lithographic printing, the work employs bold line work and stark contrast to convey movement and atmosphere. Daumier’s characteristic emphasis on caricature and observation is evident in the exaggerated gestures of the figures, while the limited palette reinforces the scene’s immediacy.
History & Provenance
The print was produced during Daumier’s prolific period of social commentary, when he frequently published images in newspapers and albums. It has since been held in several public collections, illustrating the artist’s enduring relevance to studies of 19th‑century French society.
Context
*Au restaurant à 32 sous* belongs to a broader body of Daumian work that documents the lives of ordinary people—workers, diners, and street‑goers—amid the rapid urbanization of Paris. The title references the modest price of a meal, underscoring the accessibility of such establishments to a wide clientele.
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.
