Artwork
Entrez donc, monsieur... ne vous gênez pas...
Entrez donc, monsieur... ne vous gênez pas... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1847 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1847, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier captures a bustling urban scene with a hurried figure carrying an oversized accordion. The print, produced during Daumier’s prolific period as a caricaturist for satirical journals, reflects his characteristic blend of humor and critique, employing a lively composition that mirrors the energy of mid‑nineteenth‑century Paris.
Subject & Meaning
The juxtaposition of adult labor and youthful frivolity hints at social observation, commenting on the everyday struggles and distractions of city life.
The central character, a man in a long coat and hat, strides purposefully while shouldering a large accordion, his expression weary yet determined. Behind him, three children engage in playful antics with a hat and broomstick, set against a backdrop of looming buildings. The juxtaposition of adult labor and youthful frivolity hints at social observation, commenting on the everyday struggles and distractions of city life.
Technique & Style
Daumier rendered the scene with rapid, sketch‑like lines that convey motion and immediacy, a hallmark of his lithographic practice. The bold contours and minimal shading emphasize the chaotic rhythm of the streets, while the exaggerated proportions of the accordion and the figures enhance the satirical tone. The print’s fluid hand‑drawn quality underscores the artist’s intent to capture a fleeting moment with energetic spontaneity.
Context
Produced amid the political turbulence that followed the 1848 revolutions, the work aligns with Daumier’s broader agenda of critiquing authority and social inequities through visual satire. Though not directly targeting a specific event, the print’s urban setting and emphasis on ordinary citizens reflect the artist’s engagement with the rapid modernization and class tensions of Paris during the mid‑1800s.
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.
