Artwork
Comme vous arrivez tard a la bourse ...
Comme vous arrivez tard a la bourse ... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The work is a lithographic print titled “Comme vous arrivez tard à la bourse.
About this work
Overview
The work is a lithographic print titled “Comme vous arrivez tard à la bourse.” It portrays a brief encounter between two gentlemen at a social function, each dressed in formal coats typical of the period. The composition captures a moment of informal dialogue, rendered with a light, exaggerated touch that emphasizes the characters’ gestures.
Subject & Meaning
In the scene, one figure clutches a top hat while the other stands with his hands in his pockets, suggesting a relaxed yet courteous exchange. The exaggerated poses and caricature-like rendering hint at a playful commentary on the manners and social rituals of the bourgeois gathering depicted.
Technique & Style
Created through lithography, the image exploits the medium’s capacity for fine line work and tonal variation. The artist employs a caricatural style, stretching proportions and gestures to convey humor while maintaining the clarity of the printed form. This approach allows the print to balance detailed costume rendering with a whimsical overall tone.
Context
The title, translating roughly to “Since you arrive late at the exchange,” alludes to the financial or commercial setting of a stock exchange, a common backdrop for satirical observations in 19th‑century French visual culture. The work thus reflects contemporary interest in critiquing the social dynamics of business and leisure.
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.
