Artwork
Tableau ... de l'empire de russie
Tableau ... de l'empire de russie 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
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph, titled *Tableau … de l'empire de russie*, presents a compact composition of three figures caught in an active moment. Two figures on the left grasp whips, while a third crouches on the right, creating a sense of immediacy and tension. The sparse background isolates the subjects, directing attention to their gestures and period costumes.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a scene of confrontation or control, suggested by the whips and the poised stance of the crouching figure. Daumier’s emphasis on bodily expression and the historical dress hints at a narrative linked to Russian imperial themes, inviting viewers to contemplate power dynamics and the emotional charge of the encounter.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the image relies on bold, confident lines that define the figures without elaborate detailing. The limited background and stark contrasts are characteristic of Daumier’s printmaking approach, where simplicity of setting amplifies the drama of the human forms and enhances the immediacy of the gesture.
Context
Created during Daumier’s prolific period of social and political commentary, the lithograph reflects his interest in contemporary events and historical subjects. While the exact historical episode is not specified, the attire and props align with 19th‑century European representations of Russian imperial authority, situating the work within the broader discourse of his time.
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.
Bouquet envoyé ... A l'empereur de Russie ...
Soldats russes se préparant par le jeune ...
Ayant enfin trouvé le moyen d'ultiliser leurs loisirs!
Facheux résultat... de la viande de cheval
Qui veut de la couronne de Bysance?
Faut que je egardions comment qu'murit l'raisin ...
Quittant le valachie
Ayant enfin trouvé le moyen d'utiliser leurs loisirs!