Artwork
Eh! Ben et mon verre ... si je n'ai pas ...
Eh! Ben et mon verre ... si je n'ai pas ... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1852 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph titled “Eh! Ben et mon verre … si je n’ai pas …” presents a compact domestic scene centered on a table. A seated adult, a standing figure wearing a top‑hat, and a child share the space, creating a tableau that invites the viewer into a moment of everyday interaction. The work exemplifies Daumier’s focus on ordinary French life in the mid‑19th century.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a brief, humorous exchange among the three figures, suggesting a light‑hearted yet pointed commentary on social relations of the period. By juxtaposing a child with an adult and a formally dressed gentleman, Daumier hints at class distinctions and familial dynamics, using satire to underline the quirks of contemporary French society.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the print showcases Daumier’s skill in rendering fine line work and tonal variation within a single medium. The artist’s characteristic satirical narrative emerges through exaggerated gestures and facial expressions, while the limited palette and crisp outlines reinforce the immediacy of the scene, typical of his socially engaged prints.
History & Provenance
Created during Daumier’s prolific period of social commentary, the lithograph was produced as part of his broader output of caricature and genre scenes. Specific details of its original publication and subsequent ownership remain sparse, but it continues to be cited as an example of his ability to blend humor with acute observation of 19th‑century French life.
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.
