Artwork
Ciel!...je trouve ma femme déménagée!
Ciel!...je trouve ma femme déménagée! 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
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph titled *Ciel!...je trouve ma femme déménagée!* portrays a startled man caught in a doorway. His mouth is agape, arms raised in a gesture of disbelief, while one hand still clutches his hat, suggesting an abrupt, unexpected discovery.
Subject & Meaning
The scene captures a fleeting moment of domestic surprise, likely hinting at a chaotic household rearrangement. Daumier’s composition employs humor to comment on the unpredictable nature of everyday life in mid‑nineteenth‑century France, inviting viewers to recognize the absurdity of private upheavals.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the work utilizes a stone‑based printing process that allowed Daumier to produce images quickly and affordably. The medium’s bold line work and stark contrasts emphasize the figure’s exaggerated expression, reinforcing the satirical tone without reliance on color or painterly detail.
History & Provenance
Created during Daumier’s prolific period of social satire, the print was circulated among the public as part of his broader series of everyday scenes. Its modest production method reflects the artist’s intent to reach a wide audience, though specific ownership records for this particular impression remain limited.
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.
