Who painted Le Retour de l'age d'or?

Le Retour de l'age d'or was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1856.

Where can I see Le Retour de l'age d'or?

Le Retour de l'age d'or is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Le Retour de l'age d'or?

Le Retour de l'age d'or is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Le Retour de l'age d'or

Honoré Daumier , 1856

Le Retour de l'age d'or is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1856 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1856, *Le Retour de l’âge d’or* is a lithographic print executed on newsprint.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1856, *Le Retour de l’âge d’or* is a lithographic print executed on newsprint. The work presents a whimsical woodland scene populated by three unusually proportioned figures, rendered with rapid, sketch‑like lines that emphasize caricature over realism.

Subject & Meaning

The title, translating to "The Return of the Golden Age," alludes to the notion of an idealized past, inviting a satirical comparison with contemporary French society. By depicting the figures in exaggerated poses—one puffing a pipe, another clutching grapes—the image mocks pretensions of prosperity and moral virtue.

Technique & Style

Daumier employed lithography, a printmaking process that allowed swift production on inexpensive newsprint. His handling of the medium is loose and gestural; the foliage and sky are suggested with quick strokes, reinforcing the work’s humorous, almost sketch‑like quality.

History & Provenance

The lithograph emerged from Daumier’s prolific period of political and social caricature, during which he contributed regularly to satirical journals such as *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*. It reflects the artist’s republican stance and his ongoing critique of the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy in mid‑nineteenth‑century France.

Context

Produced amid the turbulent years between the 1830 Revolution and the collapse of the Second French Empire in 1870, the print aligns with Daumier’s broader oeuvre that used humor to comment on the shifting political landscape and the often absurd aspirations of the French elite.

Artist & collection

Artist

Honoré Daumier

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.