Who painted Les Cigarettes de camphre?

Les Cigarettes de camphre was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1845.

Where can I see Les Cigarettes de camphre?

Les Cigarettes de camphre is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Les Cigarettes de camphre?

Les Cigarettes de camphre is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Les Cigarettes de camphre

Honoré Daumier , 1845

Les Cigarettes de camphre is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1845, *Les Cigarettes de camphre* is a lithographic print on newsprint by Honoré Daumier. The work belongs to the artist’s prolific period of satirical prints, during which he contributed regularly to the French illustrated press. It exemplifies Daumier’s use of inexpensive, widely circulated paper to disseminate his visual commentary to a broad public.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents two gentlemen in contemporary dress, each wearing a top hat and coat. One holds a cigarette between his lips, while the other watches attentively, suggesting a moment of informal dialogue. The relaxed posture and the act of smoking hint at a casual exchange, yet Daumier’s reputation for irony invites a reading of subtle social critique embedded in the scene.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography on newsprint, the print displays the characteristic grain and texture of the paper, enhancing the tonal contrasts.

Executed in lithography on newsprint, the print displays the characteristic grain and texture of the paper, enhancing the tonal contrasts. Daumier employs delicate shading to model the figures, creating depth without elaborate detail. The stark black‑on‑white composition, combined with the medium’s immediacy, underscores the work’s accessibility and its function as a rapid, reproducible commentary.

Context

At the time of its production, Daumier was renowned for caricatures that targeted the French monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy, reflecting his republican convictions. Though *Les Cigarettes de camphre* appears less overtly political than his editorial cartoons, it emerges from the same milieu of press satire, where everyday scenes often served as a vehicle for broader social observation.

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.