Artwork
La fonte d'un colosse de neige
La fonte d'un colosse de neige is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1854 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Daumier’s 1854 lithograph shows a giant snow figure melting while people watch. Water drips from its huge head and hands.
This isn’t just a funny image. It mocks power and time. The snow giant looks proud but turns to puddles fast.
The trick is in the lines—bold black shapes against white paper. Look up lithography if you want to see how prints like this are made.
Overview
La fonte d'un colosse de neige is a lithograph created by Honoré Daumier in 1854, featuring a colossal snow figure in the process of melting.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a giant snow figure, symbolizing the fleeting nature of power and grandeur, as it melts while onlookers observe. The image conveys a commentary on the transience of authority.
Technique & Style
The lithograph is characterized by bold, black outlines against a white background, showcasing Daumier's use of contrast to convey the dynamic interaction between the melting figure and its surroundings.
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.
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