Artwork
Le Festin de Baltazar-Véron
Le Festin de Baltazar-Véron is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Le Festin de Baltazar-Véron is a lithograph created by Honoré Daumier in 1850. It is a print that exemplifies Daumier's satirical style, characteristic of his work as a French artist known for social and political commentary.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a chaotic scene of a crowd in a dimly lit room, with individuals shouting, holding signs referencing 'Patrie' and 'Constitution', and displaying agitated postures. The imagery conveys a sense of turmoil and reflects Daumier's republican democratic views, critiquing authority through humor.
Technique & Style
Daumier employed quick, sketchy lines to capture the movement and emotion of the scene, eschewing smooth details for a raw, urgent feel. This stylistic choice contributes to the overall sense of chaos and turmoil in the print.
Context
The work is set against the backdrop of mid-19th-century France, a period marked by significant social and political upheaval. Daumier frequently contributed caricatures to publications such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, using humor to challenge the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy.
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.
Un Train de plaisir un peu trop gai
Une Réception
Ce qu'on est convenue d'appeler un rafraichissement
Un terrible cauchemar
Aspect d'une gare de chemin de fer...
Une séance de l'union électorale
Scène d'Hippophagie
Villageois économes se contentant ... (recto); A la campagne, pas de grèves de cochers ... (verso)
Une séance du conseil des cinq
Aspect des rues de Paris depuis ...
Un léger zéphir annoncant l'arrivée du printemps
Le Festin de Baltazar-Véron