Who painted Jeunes collégiens... lavant jusqu'a leur dictionnaire latin?

Jeunes collégiens... lavant jusqu'a leur dictionnaire latin was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1846.

Where can I see Jeunes collégiens... lavant jusqu'a leur dictionnaire latin?

Jeunes collégiens... lavant jusqu'a leur dictionnaire latin is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Jeunes collégiens... lavant jusqu'a leur dictionnaire latin?

Jeunes collégiens... lavant jusqu'a leur dictionnaire latin is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Jeunes collégiens... lavant jusqu'a leur dictionnaire latin

Honoré Daumier , 1846

Jeunes collégiens... lavant jusqu'a leur dictionnaire latin is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1846 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1846, this lithograph on newsprint presents a modest domestic scene in which two adolescent students are shown cleaning a Latin dictionary. The composition balances the figures against a muted urban backdrop, emphasizing the everyday nature of the activity while hinting at a broader commentary on education and scholarly pursuits.

Subject & Meaning

The work portrays young schoolboys engaged in the seemingly mundane task of washing a reference book, a visual pun that critiques the rote learning and reverence for classical studies prevalent in French schools of the era. By juxtaposing the act of cleaning with the scholarly object, the image subtly questions the value placed on rote memorization.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph on inexpensive newsprint, the piece employs bold, decisive lines and restrained shading to convey form and depth. The limited palette of dark tones creates contrast, particularly between the older figure’s somber attire and the youths’ top hats, lending the scene a clear, almost graphic quality characteristic of Daumier’s print work.

History & Provenance

The print emerged during a prolific period for the artist, who contributed regularly to satirical journals such as *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*. Produced on newsprint—a common, low‑cost medium for mass‑circulated images—it reflects the artist’s intent to reach a broad audience with his social observations.

Context

Created amid the political turbulence of mid‑19th‑century France, the lithograph aligns with Daumier’s republican sympathies and his habit of embedding social critique within everyday scenes. The inclusion of a sign reading “LIVRES A 1” and the cityscape hints at the commercial and urban environment that framed contemporary debates about education and authority.

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.