Artwork
O plaisir de l'opium que tu me ravis!...
O plaisir de l'opium que tu me ravis!... is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1844 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1844, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier presents a solitary woman in a dark dress, holding a small dog on a leash within a modest interior. The scene is rendered with swift, sketch‑like lines that convey a sense of immediacy. The title, invoking the pleasures of opium, hints at a satirical reading of contemporary indulgences and escapist habits.
Subject & Meaning
The figure’s restrained posture, white collar, and pulled‑back hair suggest a respectable domestic role, while the presence of the pet and the candle‑lit setting introduce a private, perhaps intimate moment. By linking this domestic tableau to opium’s allure, Daumier likely critiques the hidden vices and emotional withdrawal that he perceived in the social fabric of the July Monarchy and early Second Republic.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the print relies on bold, gestural strokes that emphasize movement and atmosphere over precise detail. This approach aligns with Romantic tendencies toward expressive line work and the portrayal of everyday subjects infused with emotional nuance, a hallmark of Daumier’s satirical visual language.
History & Provenance
The work emerged during Daumier’s prolific period of producing caricatures for periodicals such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, where he regularly targeted the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy. Though originally circulated as a print, the piece has since entered museum collections, illustrating the artist’s enduring engagement with social commentary through print media.
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.
