Artwork
Une boisson qui ne monte jamais à tête
Une boisson qui ne monte jamais à tête is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1852 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Une boisson qui ne monte jamais à tête is a 1852 lithograph by Honoré Daumier, presenting two scenes of café life in 19th-century Paris.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts two men enjoying drinks in a relatively subdued atmosphere above, and a lively, crowded scene below, where a man holds a glass. The work satirizes the social behaviors of Parisians, particularly their conduct in public settings like cafés.
Technique & Style
As a lithograph, the work showcases Daumier's skill in capturing nuanced expressions and the dynamic atmosphere of a café through the medium's characteristic tonal range and texture.
Context
Daumier frequently critiqued Parisian society through his art, often focusing on the behaviors of people in public venues like cafés, where they might let their guard down.
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.
