Artwork
Bien vexés de ne pas trouver... la couronne...
Bien vexés de ne pas trouver... la couronne... is a print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1871 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1871, this gillotype on newsprint by Honoré Daumée r captures a brief, satirical scene of two men in a dimly lit interior.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1871, this gillotype on newsprint by Honoré Daumée r captures a brief, satirical scene of two men in a dimly lit interior. One figure slumps at a table, clutching a rolled‑up Gazette de France, while another stands over him, gesturing emphatically with a cane in hand. A third, curled figure lies on the floor, completing the composition’s sense of cramped tension.
Subject & Meaning
The work lampoons contemporary political discontent by juxtaposing a tired, perhaps defeated individual with a more aggressive commentator, suggesting a clash between outdated authority and restless republican sentiment. The presence of the Gazette de France—a symbol of the old regime’s press—underscores Daumier’s critique of lingering monarchical influence after the collapse of the Second Empire.
Technique & Style
Executed as a gillotype, the print employs rapid, sketch‑like lines that convey immediacy and spontaneity. Daumier’s use of stark contrasts on cheap newsprint heightens the raw, informal quality, while the exaggerated postures and facial expressions amplify the satirical tone without elaborate detailing.
History & Provenance
Daumier, a prolific French painter, sculptor, and printmaker, produced this piece amid a surge of republican activism following the 1870 fall of Napoleon III. The print was likely circulated in the same periodicals—such as La Caricature and Le Charivari—that he regularly supplied with caricatures critiquing the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy.
Context
The image reflects the broader climate of political satire in post‑imperial France, where artists used inexpensive print media to reach a wide audience. Daumier’s republican convictions informed his relentless visual commentary, positioning this work within a tradition of socially engaged art that challenged established power structures.
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.
