Artwork
La chasse sur l'eau
La chasse sur l'eau is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1843 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s 1843 lithograph La chasse sur l’eau portrays a modest hunting expedition on water. A small boat carries two figures—a standing hunter with a rifle and a seated rower—accompanied by a dog. The composition is set against a muted, mist‑filled backdrop of reeds and gentle ripples, conveying a quiet, atmospheric moment.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a serene episode of a water‑based hunt, emphasizing the calm cooperation between the hunters and their environment. The presence of the dog and the stillness of the scene suggest a harmonious relationship with nature rather than a dramatic chase, highlighting everyday rural life in mid‑19th‑century France.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, Daumier employs restrained line work and subtle tonal variations to suggest mist and water surface. The medium allows for delicate gradations that render the atmospheric background while maintaining clear outlines for the figures and the dog, reflecting the artist’s skill in translating a scene into a print format.
History & Provenance
Created in 1843, the print belongs to Daumier’s early period, when he was developing his interest in genre scenes and social observation. It was produced as part of his broader output of lithographic works that circulated among the public, contributing to his reputation as a keen chronicler of contemporary life.
Context
During the 1840s, French artists increasingly turned to everyday subjects, depicting leisure and work in the countryside. Daumier’s choice of a quiet hunting outing aligns with this trend, offering a glimpse into rural pastimes while subtly commenting on the relationship between humans and the natural world.
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.
