Artwork
Ayant abusé du raisin de 1857
Ayant abusé du raisin de 1857 is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
A woman in a shawl holds grapes, a man rests against a barrel, and a small figure with a clown-like face sits nearby.
This lithograph shows three people in a vineyard. A woman in a shawl holds grapes, a man rests against a barrel, and a small figure with a clown-like face sits nearby. Daumier made this in 1857 to mock people who overdrink.
Lithography was new then. It let artists print bold, fast images cheaply, perfect for jokes. These prints spread fast in newspapers to make fun of daily life.
See how rough the lines are? That’s the lithograph’s trick. Look up Daumier, Honoré next.
Overview
Ayant abusé du raisin (1857) is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, set in a vineyard and featuring three figures. The scene conveys social commentary through its depiction of characters and their actions.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, a woman draped in a shawl and holding a basket of grapes, embodies indulgence. A squat, clown-faced figure nearby satirizes the folly of excess, particularly overindulgence in wine.
Technique & Style
Characteristic of early lithography, the work exhibits bold, expressive lines and a somewhat rough texture, leveraging the medium's capabilities for mass production and widespread dissemination.
History & Provenance
Created in 1857, during the early adoption of lithography, this piece capitalized on the technology's ability to produce and distribute humorous, socially critical images rapidly, often through newspapers.
Context
Part of Daumier's broader satirical oeuvre targeting daily life and societal habits of his time, 'Ayant abusé du raisin' reflects the artist's use of humor to critique contemporary behaviors.
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.
