Artwork
Mr. l'avocat a rendu pleine justice...
Mr. l'avocat a rendu pleine justice... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1846 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1846, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier forms part of his prolific series of satirical prints that appeared in mid‑nineteenth‑century French periodicals such as *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*. The work presents a courtroom tableau rendered in rapid, sketch‑like lines, emphasizing the gestures and expressions of its figures.
Subject & Meaning
The accompanying caption jokes that everyone is pleased except the defendant, reflecting Daumier’s critical stance toward legal and institutional authority.
The scene shows a lawyer standing at a podium, delivering a self‑congratulatory conclusion while five robed men—two judges in tall hats and three other officials—observe. An accused individual slumps in a chair, hands clasped, underscoring his isolation. The accompanying caption jokes that everyone is pleased except the defendant, reflecting Daumier’s critical stance toward legal and institutional authority.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the image relies on bold, gestural strokes that convey immediacy and movement. Daumier’s use of exaggerated caricature accentuates the lawyer’s smug demeanor and the judges’ solemnity, while the sketchy rendering of the courtroom furnishings adds a sense of spontaneity typical of his press work.
Context
Produced during the July Monarchy and the early years of the Second Republic, the print aligns with Daumier’s broader campaign of republican skepticism. He frequently targeted the legal profession, the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy, using humor to expose perceived abuses of power within these institutions.
Legacy
The lithograph exemplifies Daumier’s role in shaping political satire in visual culture, influencing later generations of cartoonists and social commentators. Its incisive commentary on judicial proceedings remains a reference point for studies of 19th‑century French press art and the power of caricature as a tool of critique.
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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.
