Artwork
Le constructeur du Léviathan se décidant ...
Le constructeur du Léviathan se décidant ... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumée’s lithograph titled *Le constructeur du Léviathan se décidant* presents a compact scene in which two figures dominate a fanciful sky‑filled backdrop. One figure kneels, his hair disheveled, while a second, robed and upright, watches. The composition balances a sense of deliberation with a touch of the absurd, reflecting Daumée’s characteristic blend of observation and satire.
Subject & Meaning
The work juxtaposes a contemplative kneeler with a standing, robe‑clad counterpart, suggesting a moment of decision or construction. The exaggerated, caricature‑like rendering hints at a critique of authority or social structures, a theme Daumée often explored through allegorical figures. The whimsical clouds and angular architecture amplify the sense of a staged, perhaps political, tableau.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the print relies on bold, sweeping lines and stark contrasts of light and shadow to define the figures and their environment. Daumée’s hand is evident in the fluid, almost spontaneous strokes that give the scene both gravitas and a playful edge, a hallmark of his approach to printmaking.
History & Provenance
Created during Daumée’s prolific period of social commentary, the lithograph was produced as part of his broader output of politically charged prints. While specific ownership records are sparse, the work has circulated among collections that focus on 19th‑century French graphic art, underscoring its relevance to studies of the era’s visual satire.
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.
