Artwork
Ce que certains journaux appeleraient...
Ce que certains journaux appeleraient... is a print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Ce que certains journaux appeleraient.
About this work
Overview
Ce que certains journaux appeleraient... is a gillotype print on newsprint created by Honoré Daumier in 1870, exemplifying his role as a prolific printmaker and astute political commentator in 19th-century France.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a woman being coerced into voting by a figure with a donkey's head near an *urne électorale*. This scene critiques the notion of 'free elections,' satirizing blind or forced voting practices during the Second French Empire.
Technique & Style
Daumier employed bold lines and rough shading in this work, characteristic of his expressive style, to convey a sense of urgency and critique.
History & Provenance
Produced in Daumier's later career, this print reflects his continued use of satire to address political issues, a hallmark of his work for publications like *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*.
Context
Created amid the social and political turmoil of the Second French Empire, the print is part of Daumier's broader critique of French political and social structures from the 1830 Revolution through 1870.
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.
