Artwork
Un monsieur qui se rajeunit
Un monsieur qui se rajeunit 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 1844 lithograph titled *Un monsieur qui se rajeunit* presents a brief encounter between a man and a woman. The scene is rendered in the crisp black‑and‑white lines typical of lithography, emphasizing the figures’ gestures and attire rather than color.
Subject & Meaning
The male figure, distinguished by a sharp‑lined face and disheveled hair, clutches a jar while maintaining a solemn expression. Opposite him, a woman in a patterned checked dress appears absorbed in the exchange. The composition hints at a satirical commentary on social interaction, suggesting a subtle critique of contemporary manners.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, Daumier employed the medium’s capacity for fine detail and tonal variation to delineate textures—such as the woman’s fabric pattern and the man’s unkempt hair. The work’s stark contrasts and economical line work align with Daumian’s broader practice of using printmaking for rapid, observational studies.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑1840s, the print emerged during a prolific period when Daumier was producing numerous caricatures and social sketches. While specific ownership records are limited, the lithograph has been catalogued among Daumier’s early prints that circulated among collectors of French satirical art.
Context
The image belongs to a body of work in which Daumier explored everyday scenes to expose the quirks of bourgeois life. By focusing on a seemingly ordinary conversation, he invites viewers to consider the underlying pretensions and absurdities of social rituals in 19th‑century France.
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.
