Artwork
Turgot -- Eh bien mon pauvre condé ...
Turgot -- Eh bien mon pauvre condé ... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
You see two men talking in this lithograph.
The man on the left holds a scroll with "A Liberté" on it. He's dressed differently from the man on the right, which shows the contrast between liberty and aristocracy.
This contrast is interesting because it reflects the societal themes of the 18th century, and to learn more about this style, look up the technique: lithography.
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph titled “Eh bien mon pauvre condé” presents a compact scene of two interlocutors. The left‑hand figure grips a scroll bearing the inscription “A Liberté,” while the right‑hand figure is attired in more refined, aristocratic dress. The work captures a moment of verbal exchange that underscores contrasting social positions within a single frame.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes a plainly dressed man, emblematic of popular or revolutionary sentiment, against a polished gentleman representing the established elite. By pairing the slogan of liberty with the visual cue of aristocratic refinement, Daumier alludes to the tension between emerging democratic ideals and the lingering authority of the old order, a theme resonant in eighteenth‑century discourse.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the print relies on the fluidity of stone‑based drawing to render fine line work and tonal variation. Daumier’s handling of the medium allows for crisp delineation of clothing textures and the scroll’s lettering, while the overall composition retains the spontaneous, sketch‑like quality characteristic of his satirical prints.
History & Provenance
Created during Daumier’s prolific period of social commentary, the lithograph was likely produced for a satirical journal or as a standalone print. Specific details of its original publication and subsequent ownership are not extensively documented, though it remains part of the artist’s broader oeuvre that examined class and political conflict.
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.
