Artwork
Un échantillon de ce qu'on appèll...les beaux de paris
Un échantillon de ce qu'on appèll...les beaux de paris is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Honoré Daumier’s 1840 lithograph, titled *Un échantillon de ce qu’on appèll…les beaux de Paris*, presents a compact scene of two Parisian men shown in profile. The composition is stark, with the figures isolated against an almost blank backdrop, allowing the viewer to focus on their contrasting dress and facial features.
Subject & Meaning
The work juxtaposes a gentleman in a tall top‑hat against a second figure wearing a low‑brimmed cap. Their sharply defined noses and chins are rendered with a degree of exaggeration that hints at caricature, suggesting a commentary on the pretensions and rivalries of contemporary urban society.
Technique & Style
Daumier employs bold, thick lines that outline the faces almost like masks, reducing the figures to graphic silhouettes. The lithographic process, with its capacity for strong contrasts, reinforces the starkness of the scene, while the minimal background eliminates distractions and concentrates attention on the characters’ gestures and attire.
Context
Created during a period when Daumier frequently targeted the bourgeoisie and political elites, this print reflects his broader satirical agenda. By reducing the subjects to stylized profiles, he underscores the superficiality of social status and the performative nature of public appearance in mid‑19th‑century Paris.
Legacy
Although modest in size, the lithograph exemplifies Daumier’s skill in using limited means to convey social critique. Its enduring relevance lies in the way it captures the timeless dynamics of vanity and rivalry through a concise visual language that continues to inform studies of caricature and print culture.
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.
