Artifact World Gallery
Get the iOS app

Artwork

Traquenards politiques

Honoré Daumier , 1835

Traquenards politiques, by Honoré Daumier, ink, 1835
Traquenards politiques, by Honoré Daumier, ink, 1835

Traquenards politiques is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1835 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

This lithograph shows a row of figures under arches labeled with words like "Justice" and "Liberty.

This lithograph shows a row of figures under arches labeled with words like "Justice" and "Liberty." A naked man and a donkey stand in the center. The donkey wears a judge’s wig, mocking the system.

Daumier often used lithography to poke fun at politics. This one’s from 1835, when France was tense after a failed revolution. The donkey’s smirk says it all.

See more like this from Daumier at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Overview

Traquenards politiques is a lithograph created by Honoré Daumier in 1835, presenting a satirical composition of figures beneath labeled arches, employing humor to critique societal issues.

Subject & Meaning

The print features a central naked figure and a donkey wearing a judge’s wig under arches marked with ideals like 'Justice' and 'Liberty', satirically commenting on the corruption of these institutions.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, a medium Daumier frequently utilized for political satire, the work showcases his ability to convey critique through expressive postures and facial expressions.

History & Provenance

Produced in 1835, amidst post-revolutionary tension in France following a failed uprising, the lithograph reflects the era’s political unease.

Context

Part of Daumier’s broader satirical oeuvre targeting political hypocrisy, 'Traquenards politiques' can be contextualized alongside similar works at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Honoré Daumier

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.

MORE BY HONORÉ DAUMIER

VISUALLY SIMILAR

Similarity 100 percent
This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.In the collection of National Gallery of Art. Compiled & edited by , Editor & Founder.