Artwork
Cocher! La main de notre fille!
Cocher! La main de notre fille! is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s 1867 lithograph titled “Cocher! La main de notre fille!” captures a fleeting urban scene with a dramatic flair. The print shows a coachman shouting toward a woman who is holding a child’s hand on a street, rendered in bold, sweeping lines that give the composition immediate visual impact.
Subject & Meaning
The work juxtaposes ordinary city life with theatrical exaggeration: the figures’ gestures and facial expressions are amplified, turning a mundane encounter into a staged performance. By presenting everyday pedestrians as actors, Daumier hints at the performative aspects of public behavior and injects a satirical commentary on social interaction.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the image relies on stark, confident linework that defines forms with minimal shading. Daumier’s characteristic use of thick contours and rapid strokes creates a sense of movement, while the exaggerated proportions of hands and faces heighten the emotional intensity, aligning the piece with his broader practice of caricature and social satire.
History & Provenance
Created in 1867, the lithograph belongs to the period when Daumier was actively publishing satirical prints for newspapers and journals. Though specific ownership records are sparse, the work is representative of his prolific output during the 1860s, a decade marked by his engagement with contemporary urban life and political commentary.
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.
