Artwork
Quand un orateur ennuyeux est a la tribune
Quand un orateur ennuyeux est a la tribune is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumée’s lithograph titled *Quand un orateur ennuyeux est à la tribune* presents a dual‑panel composition that juxtaposes two moments within a public speaking setting. In the left panel a speaker occupies a podium while the surrounding audience appears disengaged, some dozing or murmuring. The right panel shifts to a chaotic exchange, with figures gesturing and shouting in a heated debate.
Subject & Meaning
The work satirizes the dynamics of public discourse, contrasting the monotony of a dull address with the fervor of political argument. By depicting the audience’s varied reactions—indifference on one side, agitation on the other—Daumée critiques both the inefficacy of uninspiring rhetoric and the volatility of partisan debate, emphasizing how power is exercised through both silence and uproar.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the print relies on bold, decisive lines and exaggerated proportions, especially enlarged heads that draw attention to individual expressions. The stark contrast between the subdued left scene and the animated right scene is achieved through varied line density and shading, underscoring Daumée’s skill in caricature and his capacity to convey social commentary through visual economy.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑19th century, the lithograph reflects Daumée’s prolific engagement with contemporary French politics and public life.
Created in the mid‑19th century, the lithograph reflects Daumée’s prolific engagement with contemporary French politics and public life. It was produced as part of his series of satirical prints that circulated widely in newspapers and pamphlets, reaching a broad audience beyond the fine‑art market. Copies are now held in several museum collections, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
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.
