Artwork
La rentrée
La rentrée is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1868 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
La rentrée is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, a printmaker known for his satirical works.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts small, caricatured figures marching towards a school entrance, juxtaposed with a statuesque woman, satirizing the rigidity of authority and societal norms.
Technique & Style
Daumier employed a lithographic process, using a greasy ink-covered block that was cleaned and reused, resulting in unique variations with each print. The style is characterized by dark tones and sharp lines, consistent with his other satirical works.
Context
The work is part of Daumier's broader oeuvre of satirical prints, often critiquing societal and political issues of his time.
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.
