Artwork
Des huitres a vingt-cinq sous la douzaine ... !
Des huitres a vingt-cinq sous la douzaine ... ! is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1866 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Honoré Daumée’s lithograph Des huitres à vingt‑cinq sous la douzaine depicts a brief exchange at an oyster stall.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumée’s lithograph Des huitres à vingt‑cinq sous la douzaine depicts a brief exchange at an oyster stall. An elderly woman in a shawl extends a coin toward a younger man who peers at his hands, apparently counting his change. The composition is rendered in stark, dark lines that give the figures a vivid immediacy, capturing a moment of everyday commerce in 19th‑century France.
Subject & Meaning
The print juxtaposes the aged vendor, clutching a modest sum, with the merchant who appears preoccupied with his earnings. This contrast highlights the precariousness of low‑wage labor and the subtle humor in their interaction, reflecting Daumier’s interest in social realities and the modest struggles of ordinary Parisians.
Technique & Style
Daumier employed the lithographic process on a stone surface, applying ink while the drawing was still wet. By pressing the paper onto the stone before the ink dried, he achieved thick, assertive strokes that emphasize the tension between the figures. The stark chiaroscuro and crisp outlines are characteristic of his rapid, expressive hand.
Context
Created during the mid‑1800s, a period when Daumier frequently illustrated urban life for newspapers and satirical journals, the work aligns with his broader commentary on French society. The print has circulated in various collections of 19th‑century French lithographs, though its exact exhibition history remains modest, reflecting its role as a documentary rather than a formal gallery piece.
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.
