Who painted Je n'y redescends plus!... je crois...?

Je n'y redescends plus!... je crois... was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1839.

Where can I see Je n'y redescends plus!... je crois...?

Je n'y redescends plus!... je crois... is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Je n'y redescends plus!... je crois...?

Je n'y redescends plus!... je crois... is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Je n'y redescends plus!... je crois...

Honoré Daumier , 1839

Je n'y redescends plus!... je crois... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1839 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Je n'y redescends plus!

About this work

Overview

Je n'y redescends plus!... je crois... is a lithograph on newsprint by Honoré Daumier, created in 1839. Characteristic of his satirical work for French publications, this print critiques societal and political norms of its time.

Subject & Meaning

The lithograph depicts a distressed gentleman, overwhelmed while reading a newspaper. This scene reflects the era's rapid news dissemination and the resultant public anxiety, as well as the distrust of information, echoing Daumier's republican democratic commentary on the challenges of navigating the influx of news during the July Monarchy.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, a relatively novel technique at the time, the work leverages the medium's capabilities for widespread dissemination. Daumier's use of exaggerated facial expressions and gestures is typical of his caricaturist style, enhancing the satirical impact.

History & Provenance

Created during the July Monarchy, this piece is part of Daumier's body of work critiquing the establishment. Currently, it is part of the collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington.

Context

Produced amidst the burgeoning print culture of 19th-century France, this lithograph capitalizes on the new technology of lithography to reach a broad audience with its satirical message, reflecting the political and social upheavals of the time.

Legacy

As part of Daumier's prolific satirical output, Je n'y redescends plus!... je crois... contributes to his enduring legacy as a vocal critic of his era through art, influencing subsequent generations of caricaturists and social commentators.

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.