Artwork

Etude de révérence pour le quadrille des lanciers

Etude de révérence pour le quadrille des lanciers, by Honoré Daumier, ink, 1857
Etude de révérence pour le quadrille des lanciers, by Honoré Daumier, ink, 1857

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

Portrait of Honoré Daumier

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.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.