Who painted Grand escalier du Palais de justice. Vue de face?

Grand escalier du Palais de justice. Vue de face was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1848.

Where can I see Grand escalier du Palais de justice. Vue de face?

Grand escalier du Palais de justice. Vue de face is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Grand escalier du Palais de justice. Vue de face?

Grand escalier du Palais de justice. Vue de face is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Grand escalier du Palais de justice. Vue de face

Honoré Daumier , 1848

Grand escalier du Palais de justice. Vue de face is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1848 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Honoré Daumier's 1848 lithograph *Grand escalier du Palais de justice. Vue de face* captures the frontal view of the Palais de Justice's grand staircase in Paris, rendered in characteristic rough lines and simple forms.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts two figures in long black robes and tall hats on the staircase: an older individual with a serious expression and a younger one with a blank face. A smaller figure ascends in the background, set against the imposing judicial backdrop.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, the work features Daumier's distinctive quick, rough lines and minimalist facial expressions, reflecting his practice of rapid sketching often seen in his newspaper contributions.

History & Provenance

Created in 1848, a year of significant political turmoil in France, this lithograph was part of Daumier's prolific output for satirical newspapers like *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*, though its specific commentary, if any, is subtle compared to his overtly satirical works.

Context

While Daumier was renowned for critiquing social and political institutions through satire, *Grand escalier* presents a more nuanced, possibly observational scene, contrasting with the overt criticism found in much of his other work from this period.

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.