Who painted Gustave Sautayra?

Gustave Sautayra was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1849.

Where can I see Gustave Sautayra?

Gustave Sautayra is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Gustave Sautayra?

Gustave Sautayra is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Gustave Sautayra

Honoré Daumier , 1849

Gustave Sautayra is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1849, this lithographic print by Honoré Daumier depicts a prominently featured, large‑headed gentleman adjusting his jacket, set against a vague assembly of smaller, indistinct figures. The work exemplifies Daumier’s characteristic focus on contemporary individuals, rendered with a loose, sketch‑like line that emphasizes facial features while the background recedes into abstraction.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, a round‑faced man with a thick moustache and unruly hair, is presented in a manner that suggests both individuality and caricature. The surrounding crowd, rendered as blurred silhouettes, implies public scrutiny or societal observation, aligning with Daumier’s broader interest in critiquing the social and political actors of his time.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, the image relies on rapid, gestural drawing, with lines that appear almost doodled yet retain a clear definition of the protagonist’s expression. This approach allows the print to convey immediacy and spontaneity, hallmarks of Daumier’s satirical visual language, while the contrast between the crisp foreground and the softened background enhances the focal emphasis.

History & Provenance

The print emerges from Daumier’s prolific period of producing caricatures for the satirical journals La Caricature and Le Charivari. Created amid the political turbulence following the 1830 Revolution and before the collapse of the Second French Empire, the work reflects his republican sympathies and ongoing commentary on the era’s power structures.

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.