Artwork
Un soir de fête nationale
Un soir de fête nationale 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
Un soir de fête nationale, a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, captures a moment of communal struggle against the elements, as three figures seek shelter from a storm under a shared cloth.
Subject & Meaning
The scene subtly alludes to social or cultural commentary, characteristic of Daumier's work, where the subjects' plight may serve as a commentary on the human condition or societal issues of 19th-century France.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the print features expressive, caricature-like figures with simplified, exaggerated forms, a style common in 19th-century prints, emphasizing emotional and situational intensity.
Context
Created during a period when lithography allowed for widespread dissemination of artistic and social commentary, this work reflects the medium's role in 19th-century French artistic and cultural discourse.
History & Provenance
No specific historical ownership or exhibition records are highlighted in the provided sources, focusing instead on the work's thematic and technical aspects.
Legacy
While not individually renowned in the provided context, 'Un soir de fête nationale' contributes to Daumier's broader legacy of using lithography for nuanced social commentary, influencing subsequent generations of artists.
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.
