Artwork
Etude de révérence pour le quadrille des lanciers

Etude de révérence pour le quadrille des lanciers 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.
About this work
Overview
Etude de révérence pour le quadrille des lanciers is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, portraying a moment of refined social interaction within an elegant 19th-century French setting.
Subject & Meaning
The print captures a woman in a luxurious gown executing a deep curtsy towards an older man in a lavishly decorated room, underscoring the emphasis on formal etiquette and polite behavior in contemporary French society.
Technique & Style
Created using lithography, a technique allowing for nuanced line work and expressive shading, Daumier's composition balances dynamic movement (the woman's curtsy) with static elegance (the interior's opulence), characteristic of his observant and detailed style.
Context
This work reflects Daumier's fascination with capturing the social mores of his time, offering a glimpse into the formal protocols governing interactions between genders and ages in 19th-century France.
Legacy
While not widely recognized as a seminal work in Daumier's oeuvre, it contributes to the broader understanding of his exploration of social dynamics through accessible, detailed lithographic prints.
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.

















