Artwork
Satanées salades ...
Satanées salades ... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1865 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph titled “Satanées salades” presents a whimsical garden scene in which a solitary figure tends to plants. Rendered in black‑and‑white, the print captures a moment of everyday labor while employing exaggerated facial features and attire to generate a light‑hearted tone.
Subject & Meaning
The central character, distinguished by an oversized nose and a comically oversized hat, is shown watering foliage amid stylised trees. Daumier’s caricature amplifies the ordinary activity, inviting viewers to consider the quirks of daily life and the subtle satire embedded in commonplace tasks.
Technique & Style
Created through lithography, the work relies on a stone‑based printing process that allows for fluid, gestural lines and tonal variation. Daumier’s characteristic bold outlines and simplified forms give the scene a cartoon‑like quality, while the contrast of dark ink against the paper enhances the exaggerated features.
Context
Produced during Daumier’s prolific period of social observation, the print reflects his interest in portraying the urban and rural populace with a blend of humor and critique. The garden setting, though idealised, serves as a microcosm for the broader social environment that Daumier frequently examined.
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.
La paix universelle étant décrétée ...
Voila des gens ont une ... fichue maniére ...
A asnières
M. Vautour: Je ne saurais trop ...
Faut pas vous désoler comme ca ...
Ce perdreau est mort sur mon terrain ...
Un effet des démolitions dans Paris
Ayant abusé du raisin de 1857
Monsieur Prudhomme ... Je me noie! ...