Artwork
Le danger de s'assoupir en voyage
Le danger de s'assoupir en voyage 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. Created in 1843, this lithographic print portrays a bustling railway station.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1843, this lithographic print portrays a bustling railway station. A startled traveler leans out of a train carriage, eyes wide, while a figure on the platform points upward toward him. The composition, rendered in stark black and white, captures a fleeting instant of surprise that hints at the unpredictable nature of early rail travel.
Subject & Meaning
The work juxtaposes two individuals reacting to an unexpected encounter, emphasizing the novelty and uncertainty that accompanied the advent of trains. By focusing on the exaggerated expressions, the artist highlights both the humor and the latent risk inherent in navigating new technological environments, offering a glimpse into everyday anxieties of mid‑19th‑century commuters.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the image was produced by drawing with greasy ink on a flat stone surface, then transferring the design onto paper through a chemical process. This method allows for bold, decisive lines and a high contrast between dark and light areas, reinforcing the immediacy of the scene and the crispness of the figures’ gestures.
History & Provenance
The print originates from the early period of railway expansion in France, a time when artists frequently documented the social impact of modern transportation. It entered public collections during the late 19th century, reflecting contemporary interest in works that recorded the transformative effects of industrial progress on daily life.
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.
