Artwork
Un amour propre satisfait
Un amour propre satisfait is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1844 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph Un amour propre satisfait presents a well‑dressed gentleman seated in a chair, absorbed in a large newspaper. The figure’s posture and expression convey a sense of contentment, while the surrounding details—such as the folds of his clothing and the newspaper’s size—anchor the scene in a domestic, middle‑class setting typical of mid‑19th‑century France.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a moment of personal gratification, suggesting the sitter’s pride in his own knowledge or status. By focusing on a solitary individual immersed in print media, Daumier subtly comments on the growing importance of the press and the self‑affirmation that comes from being informed, reflecting broader social attitudes toward literacy and leisure.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the image relies on the artist’s ability to draw directly onto a stone surface, producing fine lines and tonal variations. Daumier’s characteristic blend of precise draftsmanship and gentle shading gives the figure a lifelike presence, while the simplified background keeps attention on the man’s demeanor and the newspaper’s prominence.
History & Provenance
Created during Daumier’s prolific period of social observation, the print was likely produced in the 1850s, when the artist frequently explored contemporary urban life. Copies of the lithograph have circulated in private collections and museum holdings, illustrating its role as a representative example of Daumier’s engagement with everyday subjects.
Context
The image emerges at a time when the French press was expanding, and newspapers became symbols of modernity and personal identity. Daumier’s choice to depict a well‑dressed reader reflects the rising middle class’s access to information and the associated sense of self‑importance that accompanied it.
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.
