Artwork
L'épée de Damoclès
L'épée de Damoclès is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1842 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
L'épée de Damoclès is a lithograph created by Honoré Daumier in 1842. The print depicts a tense scene at a dining table.
Subject & Meaning
A set table with plates and cutlery is overshadowed by a large sword suspended above, evoking a sense of suspense. The figures' reactions – one alarmed, the other gesturing – underscore the threat posed by the sword.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in lithography, a technique that allowed Daumier to produce detailed illustrations. The contrast between the calm setting and the menacing sword is a hallmark of Daumier's satirical style.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
