Who painted Eléves de sixième voulant jouer aux rhétoriciens?

Eléves de sixième voulant jouer aux rhétoriciens was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1846.

Where can I see Eléves de sixième voulant jouer aux rhétoriciens?

Eléves de sixième voulant jouer aux rhétoriciens is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Eléves de sixième voulant jouer aux rhétoriciens?

Eléves de sixième voulant jouer aux rhétoriciens is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Eléves de sixième voulant jouer aux rhétoriciens

Honoré Daumier , 1846

Eléves de sixième voulant jouer aux rhétoriciens is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1846 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Honoré Daumier’s 1846 lithograph Eléves de sixième voulant jouer aux rhétoriciens presents a trio of formally attired figures caught in an exaggerated theatrical pose. The print captures a moment of overblown gesticulation and facial expression, highlighting the work’s satirical tone toward affectation in public discourse.

Subject & Meaning

The three characters appear to be staging a mock‑rhetorical exercise, their grandiose movements suggesting a parody of earnest intellectual debate. Daumier uses their self‑importance to comment on the tendency of individuals to adopt pompous language and behavior in order to appear learned.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the work relies on bold line work and stark contrasts to emphasize the figures’ exaggerated postures. Daumier’s characteristic caricatural style is evident in the distorted anatomy and expressive faces, which serve the satirical intent of the image.

History & Provenance

Created in 1846, the print belongs to Daumier’s early period of social satire, when he frequently produced lithographs for French newspapers and pamphlets. It circulated among the public as part of his broader commentary on contemporary French society.

Context

The lithograph reflects mid‑nineteenth‑century French concerns with education and public speaking, a time when rhetoric was a valued skill. By depicting school‑age youths attempting to emulate seasoned rhetoricians, Daumier underscores the gap between genuine expertise and pretentious performance.

Artist & collection

Artist

Honoré Daumier

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.