Artwork
Casmajou -- Ratapoil (tous deux en choeur)
Casmajou -- Ratapoil (tous deux en choeur) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Casmajou -- Ratapoil (tous deux en choeur) is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, featuring two emaciated figures in tattered attire.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts two skeletal men standing together, one pointing at the other, who grins with a toothless mouth. The scene conveys a sense of mortality and commentary on societal issues, underscored by the accompanying dialogue.
Technique & Style
Daumier created the lithograph using a greasy crayon on stone, which was then inked and printed. The resulting image is characterized by thick black lines and deep shadows, capturing the rough texture of the original drawing.
Context
The work is representative of Daumier's style, which is marked by sharp lines and a dramatic use of shading.
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.
