Who painted Sortez!... (Bajazet)?

Sortez!... (Bajazet) was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1841.

Where can I see Sortez!... (Bajazet)?

Sortez!... (Bajazet) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Sortez!... (Bajazet)?

Sortez!... (Bajazet) is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Sortez!... (Bajazet)

Honoré Daumier , 1841

Sortez!... (Bajazet) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1841 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1841, this lithographic print by Honoré Daumier bears the title *Sortez!... (Bajazet)*. Executed as a single‑sheet caricature, it exemplifies the artist’s prolific output for the satirical journals *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*. The work’s composition captures a brief, charged encounter between two figures, underscored by the shouted command “Sortez!” rendered in a loose hand.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts a man in a broad‑brimmed hat and a loosely draped jacket leaning toward a seated woman whose veil covers her head and whose hands are clasped in distress. Her expression suggests surprise or upset, while the man’s posture conveys urgency. The caption “Sortez!” (“Get out!”) amplifies the tension, inviting viewers to read the moment as a commentary on social confrontation.

Technique & Style

Daumier employed lithography, a printmaking process that allowed rapid production and wide distribution. The lines are swift and sketch‑like, giving the image a spontaneous, almost unfinished quality that heightens its immediacy. The artist’s signature appears in the lower corner, confirming authorship and reinforcing the work’s status as a printed satire.

History & Provenance

Produced during Daumier’s early career, the print aligns with his republican sympathies and his habit of targeting the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy. It circulated through the popular press of the period, reaching a broad audience eager for political commentary in the turbulent years of mid‑19th‑century France.

Context

The 1840s in France were marked by intense political debate and the rise of republican sentiment. Daumier’s caricatures, including this lithograph, functioned as visual journalism, using humor and exaggeration to critique prevailing power structures and to voice dissent against established institutions.

Legacy

While not as widely reproduced as some of Daumier’s later works, this print illustrates his early mastery of lithography as a tool for social critique. It remains a representative example of how graphic art contributed to public discourse during a period of significant political upheaval.

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.