Artwork
Ayant eu la vaniteuse idée de vouloir ...
Ayant eu la vaniteuse idée de vouloir ... 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
Honoré Daumée r’s 1864 lithograph, titled *Ayant eu la vaniteuse idée de vouloir*, depicts three figures waist‑deep in dark water, their hats bobbing beside them, while a steam locomotive rushes along distant tracks, its plume of smoke curling overhead.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes human vulnerability with the unstoppable force of industrial progress. The submerged figures suggest a struggle against an indifferent environment, whereas the train, moving forward with steam and speed, symbolizes the relentless advance of modernity that the figures cannot control.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the work employs the inexpensive, mass‑produced medium favored by Daumier for social commentary. Bold, flowing lines render the water’s ripples, while stark contrasts highlight the train’s mechanical forms, creating a dynamic tension between fluidity and industrial rigidity.
History & Provenance
Created in 1864, the print emerged during a period when Daumier frequently used satire to critique contemporary society. Lithography allowed him to disseminate his observations widely, reaching audiences beyond the elite art market of the time.
Context
The image reflects mid‑nineteenth‑century France, where rapid railway expansion reshaped daily life. Daumier’s work captures the ambivalence of progress, portraying both the allure of technological advancement and its capacity to overwhelm ordinary people.
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.
