Artwork
Les planètes étant elles-mêmes dans ...
Les planètes étant elles-mêmes dans ... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph presents three robed, armored figures perched upon clouds, each equipped with a telescope and directed toward a star‑filled sky. The composition balances a tranquil, almost ethereal atmosphere with a sense of focused inquiry, inviting viewers to contemplate the act of celestial observation.
Subject & Meaning
The three observers, shrouded in flowing garments and modest armor, symbolize a scholarly pursuit of the heavens. Their upward gazes and the surrounding stars suggest a quest for hidden knowledge, linking human curiosity with the vast, mysterious cosmos.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the work relies on fine lines and graduated shading to render the softness of the clouds and the crispness of the stars. Daumier’s handling of tonal contrast creates depth, while the precise detailing of the figures’ attire grounds the scene in a realistic texture despite its fantastical setting.
History & Provenance
Created during Daumier’s prolific period of printmaking, the lithograph reflects his interest in social commentary and scientific themes prevalent in mid‑19th‑century France. It has been held in several public collections, most notably within European museum holdings that specialize in 19th‑century graphic art.
Context
The image emerges at a time when advances in astronomy and the popularization of telescopic observation captured public imagination. Daumier’s choice to depict scholarly figures amidst clouds aligns with contemporary Romantic notions of the sublime and the pursuit of knowledge beyond earthly bounds.
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.
