Artwork
Un divertissement de pékin
Un divertissement de pékin 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 divertissement de pékin* presents a compact interior scene in which three men are absorbed in a game resembling dominoes. The setting is richly adorned, with dark patterned walls that frame the participants, whose disproportionate heads and slender bodies lend a comic vigor to the composition.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a moment of focused leisure, emphasizing the social dynamics of strategic play. By exaggerating the figures’ physiognomy, Daumier underscores the concentration and interaction among the players, inviting viewers to contemplate the balance between amusement and the seriousness with which such pastimes are pursued.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the image was drawn directly onto a limestone surface and then transferred to paper, allowing Daumier to produce multiple copies efficiently. The medium’s capacity for fine line work and tonal variation supports the detailed interior décor and the crisp delineation of the characters’ exaggerated features.
Context
Daumier, renowned for his satirical commentary, often employed lithography to disseminate his observations widely. While this particular print does not depict a specific political episode, its humorous treatment of everyday leisure aligns with his broader interest in portraying contemporary French society through a critical yet playful lens.
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.
