Artwork
Le Jour de l'an
Le Jour de l'an is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1844 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The image presents a man and a woman in close proximity, rendered with swift, gestural lines that give the impression of a spontaneous sketch.
Le Jour de l'an is a lithographic print executed by the French artist Honoré Daumier in 1844. The image presents a man and a woman in close proximity, rendered with swift, gestural lines that give the impression of a spontaneous sketch. The composition is simple, with a blurred background that does not distract from the figures, reflecting Daumier’s practice of producing works for rapid, inexpensive distribution.
Subject & Meaning
The scene depicts a woman in a high‑waisted dress with a voluminous skirt, holding an object, while a man in a dark coat rests an arm on her shoulder. Their understated facial features and the informal pose suggest a casual, perhaps domestic moment, yet Daumier’s broader oeuvre often uses such everyday encounters to comment on the social hierarchies and relationships of his time.
Technique & Style
Daumier employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a stone surface with greasy crayon before transferring the image onto paper. The print’s loose, sketch‑like lines and minimal shading are characteristic of his economical approach, allowing for quick production and wide circulation. The soft, indistinct background enhances the focus on the figures and underscores the work’s informal, almost improvisational quality.
History & Provenance
Created during a period when Daumier earned his livelihood through caricatures for periodicals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, Le Jour de l'an reflects his engagement with the political and social currents of mid‑nineteenth‑century France. The print was intended for mass consumption, aligning with Daumier’s practice of using affordable media to disseminate his critical observations of 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.
