Artwork

Oh Patrie!!!

Oh Patrie!!!, by Honoré Daumier, ink, 1840
Oh Patrie!!!, by Honoré Daumier, ink, 1840

Oh Patrie!!! is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1840, *Oh Patrie!

About this work

Overview

Created in 1840, *Oh Patrie!!!* is a lithographic print on wove paper by the French artist Honoré Daumier. The image presents a solitary figure bundled in a long coat and hat, trudging through falling snow with a down‑turned head and a scowling expression. The darkened backdrop suggests an urban wall or building, emphasizing the figure’s isolation within a bleak winter scene.

Subject & Meaning

The work functions as a visual satire aimed at the political climate of the July Monarchy. By portraying a cold, discontented individual, Daumier alludes to the hardships and disillusionment felt by many under the restored monarchy, critiquing the ruling elite and the social order that left ordinary citizens exposed to hardship.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the print employs bold, gestural lines and stark contrasts between dark shadows and the white of the snow. Daumier’s characteristic caricatural exaggeration is evident in the figure’s contorted facial expression, while the composition’s limited palette reinforces the somber, critical tone typical of his mid‑19th‑century satirical oeuvre.

History & Provenance

Daumier produced the print for the satirical journals *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*, venues through which he regularly disseminated republican commentary. The lithograph circulated widely among the period’s politically engaged readership, reflecting the artist’s commitment to using print media as a tool for social critique during a turbulent era in French history.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Honoré Daumier

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.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.