Who painted P. Lamotte Rateau?

P. Lamotte Rateau was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1849.

Where can I see P. Lamotte Rateau?

P. Lamotte Rateau is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is P. Lamotte Rateau?

P. Lamotte Rateau is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

P. Lamotte Rateau

Honoré Daumier , 1849

P. Lamotte Rateau is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Honoré Daumier’s lithograph titled “P. Lamotte Rateau” presents a satirical portrait of a man leaning forward while clutching a scroll labeled “Proposition Rateau.” The figure’s distorted nose and diminutive eyes emphasize caricature, set against a backdrop of less detailed, ancillary characters.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure represents a political or legislative personality associated with the eponymous proposal, rendered in an exaggerated manner to critique his stance. By inflating facial features and isolating him amid simplified companions, Daumier underscores the absurdity he perceived in the political discourse surrounding the proposal.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithographic print, the work employs bold line work and stark contrast to accentuate the protagonist’s grotesque visage. The surrounding figures are rendered with minimal detail, a common device in Daumier’s satirical prints that directs focus to the primary subject while maintaining a lively, newspaper‑ready aesthetic.

Context

Daumian lithographs were routinely reproduced in contemporary periodicals, making them affordable to a broad readership. This practice allowed his political commentary, such as the mockery of the “Proposition Rateau,” to reach ordinary citizens, reinforcing his role as a visual journalist of 19th‑century French public life.

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.