Who painted Faut-il qu'un animal soit bête?

Faut-il qu'un animal soit bête was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1854.

Where can I see Faut-il qu'un animal soit bête?

Faut-il qu'un animal soit bête is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Faut-il qu'un animal soit bête?

Faut-il qu'un animal soit bête is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Faut-il qu'un animal soit bête

Honoré Daumier , 1854

Faut-il qu'un animal soit bête is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1854 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Faut-il qu'un animal soit bête is a lithograph created by Honoré Daumier in 1854. It depicts a hunting scene with two men and a rabbit.

Subject & Meaning

The print shows two hunters in a field, one aiming a gun, as a rabbit suddenly flees. The stiff poses and blank faces of the hunters convey a sense of absurdity, poking fun at the culture of hunting for sport.

Technique & Style

Soft shading and tones characterize the work, maintaining a light mood. Daumier's use of subtle lithographic techniques emphasizes the tension between humans and nature.

Context

The lithograph reflects on the hunting culture prevalent in 1850s France, where hunting was often done for sport rather than sustenance.

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.