Artwork
Se passant la fantaisie de faire naufrager ...
Se passant la fantaisie de faire naufrager ... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1854 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
This 1854 lithograph by Honoré Daumier is titled 'Se passant la fantaisie de faire naufrager.' It presents a thought-provoking scene that critiques the ambitions of naval power.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a muscular, helmeted figure lost in thought, gazing at a bowl containing miniature ships. The surrounding maps, labeled 'MER NOIRE' and 'SEBASTOPOLD,' reference the Black Sea and Sebastopol, a Crimean port city under siege during the Crimean War, symbolizing the fantasies of maritime power and disaster.
Technique & Style
Created using lithography, a technique that allows for mass production of detailed prints, the artwork showcases Daumier's skill in this medium. The level of detail achieved in the print highlights the capabilities of lithography.
Context
The artwork is a commentary on imperialism, specifically referencing the naval ambitions and conflicts of the time, such as the Crimean War. Daumier uses a fantasy scene to critique the fantasies of maritime power.
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.
Ayant enfin trouvé le moyen d'ultiliser leurs loisirs!
Les Fricoteurs politiques
Comme quoi ... sur un lit três vaste ,,,
L'empereur Nicolas recevant une députation ...
Renouvelé des petites Danaides
Bigre! ... j'ai eu tort de me mettre ...
S'administrant la discipline ...
Après la pompe a sang, la pompe à or