Who painted Malheureux! tu veux donc tuer le père de tes enfants??

Malheureux! tu veux donc tuer le père de tes enfants? was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1841.

Where can I see Malheureux! tu veux donc tuer le père de tes enfants??

Malheureux! tu veux donc tuer le père de tes enfants? is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Malheureux! tu veux donc tuer le père de tes enfants??

Malheureux! tu veux donc tuer le père de tes enfants? is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Malheureux! tu veux donc tuer le père de tes enfants?

Honoré Daumier , 1841

Malheureux! tu veux donc tuer le père de tes enfants? is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1841 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Malheureux!

About this work

Overview

Malheureux! tu veux donc tuer le père de tes enfants? is a 1841 lithograph by Honoré Daumier, utilizing the medium to critique social and political structures in mid-19th century France through satirical means.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a tense, dramatic scene in a dimly lit room, where a militarized figure with a raised sword confronts a shocked, traditionally dressed woman. The title questions the morality of the act, implying a critique of power dynamics and hypocrisy, likely targeting contemporary French societal norms.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithograph on newsprint, the work features a characteristic rough, sketchy quality, reminiscent of quick sketches. This style, inherent to lithographic techniques of the time, suits Daumier’s caricaturist approach, emphasizing immediacy and bold expression over fine detail.

History & Provenance

Created during Daumier’s prolific period as a caricaturist for publications like La Caricature and Le Charivari, this lithograph is part of his broader oeuvre critiquing the French monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy. Specific provenance details are not provided.

Context

Emerging amidst 19th-century French social and political turmoil, the lithograph reflects Daumier’s use of satire to engage with the era’s power structures and moral dilemmas, speaking to the concerns of his contemporary audience.

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.