Who painted Figure of a Man?

Figure of a Man was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1844.

Where can I see Figure of a Man?

Figure of a Man is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Figure of a Man?

Figure of a Man is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Figure of a Man

Honoré Daumier , 1844

Figure of a Man is a chalk drawing by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1844 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Figure of a Man is a drawing executed in 1844 by the French artist Honoré Daumier. Rendered in black chalk with subtle gray wash on laid paper, the work measures a modest size typical of Daumier’s studies. It exemplifies his early practice of quick, observational drawing before he turned primarily to printmaking and painting.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a solitary male figure rendered in a direct, unembellished manner. Daumier’s treatment avoids idealization, focusing instead on the ordinary posture and expression of the sitter, reflecting his broader interest in the everyday human condition and the social realities of mid‑nineteenth‑century France.

Technique & Style

Daumier employs a loose, gestural line in black chalk, allowing the figure’s form to emerge through varied pressure and shading. Light washes of gray add tonal depth, suggesting volume without obscuring the paper’s laid texture. The approach aligns with his reputation for swift, expressive draftsmanship.

History & Provenance

Created during a period when Daumier was establishing himself as a caricaturist for publications such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, the drawing predates his most famous lithographs. Its later ownership records trace back to private collections before entering a museum holding focused on 19th‑century French art.

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.