Who painted Réflection intime d'un épicier?

Réflection intime d'un épicier was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1867.

Where can I see Réflection intime d'un épicier?

Réflection intime d'un épicier is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Réflection intime d'un épicier?

Réflection intime d'un épicier is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Réflection intime d'un épicier

Honoré Daumier , 1867

Réflection intime d'un épicier is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Réflection intime d'un épicier is a 1867 lithograph by Honoré Daumier, capturing a contemplative moment of a grocer, characteristic of the artist's socially conscious oeuvre.

Subject & Meaning

Contrary to its title, the lithograph portrays two men in a desolate landscape, one somberly observing a sheep, the other standing solemnly. This discrepancy suggests the title's narrative might symbolize the grocer's introspection, juxtaposing the mundane with a broader, possibly melancholic, human experience.

Technique & Style

Daumier employed quick, expressive lines, hallmark of his printmaking style, to convey emotional depth and realism, inviting the viewer to interpret the scene's subdued tension.

History & Provenance

Created during Daumier's prolific period of satirical commentary on French society, this work aligns with his contributions to *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*, though its direct political commentary is less overt than in other pieces.

Context

Emerging from 19th-century France, the piece reflects Daumier's republican and democratic sympathies, using everyday subjects as vehicles for subtle social reflection.

Legacy

While not one of Daumier's most overtly political works, *Réflection intime d'un épicier* contributes to his legacy of using printmaking as a tool for nuanced social observation.

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.