Artwork

Bonsoir chérie...si ton épicier nous voyait...

Bonsoir chérie...si ton épicier nous voyait..., by Honoré Daumier, ink, 1842
Bonsoir chérie...si ton épicier nous voyait..., by Honoré Daumier, ink, 1842

Bonsoir chérie...si ton épicier nous voyait... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1842 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

This lithograph by Honoré Daumier captures a fleeting intimate moment between a couple sharing a kiss in a public setting, juxtaposed with the presence of an observer.

Subject & Meaning

The artwork contrasts private affection with public scrutiny, as a couple kisses while being watched from a window above, highlighting the tension between personal intimacy and urban visibility.

Technique & Style

Executed in monochrome, the piece employs a sketch-like lithographic style, characteristic of Daumier's work, to convey the immediacy of urban life in 1842.

History & Provenance

Created in 1842, the lithograph reflects Daumier's observation of mid-19th-century urban dynamics, though specific provenance details are not provided here.

Context

Part of Daumier's broader commentary on 19th-century French urban life, this work situates private moments within the observant and often intrusive environment of city living.

Legacy

While not individually renowned, the piece contributes to Daumier's legacy of capturing the nuances of urban existence, influencing subsequent artists in depicting everyday life.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Honoré Daumier

Artist

Honoré Daumier

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.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.