Artwork

Celui-la, on peut le mettre en liberté! (This one we can set free! He is no longer dangerous!)

Celui-la, on peut le mettre en liberté! (This one we can set free! He is no longer dangerous!) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Celui-là, on peut le mettre en liberté!

About this work

Overview

Celui-là, on peut le mettre en liberté! is a lithograph on wove paper created by Honoré Daumier in 1834. Characteristic of his satirical body of work, this print critiques aspects of French society and governance.

Subject & Meaning

The lithograph depicts a somber scene with two standing men, one leaning over a bed where a third man lies covered. The serious, almost mocking expressions of the upright figures contrast with the subdued state of the recumbent individual. The accompanying text suggests a commentary on the justice system, implying the detained person no longer poses a threat.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, a technique Daumier often utilized for his caricatures, the work features the artist's signature use of expressive, simplified forms and strong contrasts, typical of his satirical prints for publications like *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*.

History & Provenance

Created in 1834, during Daumier's active period as a caricaturist for prominent French satirical journals, the lithograph reflects his republican and democratic sympathies, targeting the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy through subtle yet pointed commentary.

Context

Within the broader context of 19th-century France, this work contributes to a wave of satirical art critiquing social and political hierarchies. Daumier's lithographs, including *Celui-là, on peut le mettre en liberté!*, were disseminated through popular press, making his commentary accessible to a wide audience.

Legacy

As part of Daumier's extensive oeuvre of satirical prints, *Celui-là, on peut le mettre en liberté!* contributes to his legacy as a pioneering figure in French caricature, influencing future generations of artists in using art as a vehicle for social and political critique.

Artist & collection

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.