Who painted Une Famille chez qui réside l'instinct guerrier?

Une Famille chez qui réside l'instinct guerrier was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1847.

Where can I see Une Famille chez qui réside l'instinct guerrier?

Une Famille chez qui réside l'instinct guerrier is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Une Famille chez qui réside l'instinct guerrier?

Une Famille chez qui réside l'instinct guerrier is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Une Famille chez qui réside l'instinct guerrier

Honoré Daumier , 1847

Une Famille chez qui réside l'instinct guerrier is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1847 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1847, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier presents a domestic interior populated by two men, each armed with a weapon. Rendered on newsprint, the image combines a modest setting—a window and a barrel—with the presence of a spear‑like pole and a sword, suggesting an undercurrent of conflict within a seemingly ordinary household.

Subject & Meaning

The work satirically juxtaposes bourgeois domesticity with martial symbols, implying that even in comfortable homes the instinct for combat persists. By portraying the figures in civilian dress yet equipped for battle, Daumier comments on the latent aggressiveness he perceived in the French middle class of his time.

Technique & Style

Executed through lithography, Daumier drew directly onto a stone surface, allowing for swift reproduction on inexpensive newsprint. The stark line work and limited tonal range emphasize the figures’ gestures and the sparse background, reinforcing the satirical tone through a clear, unembellished visual language.

History & Provenance

Daumier produced the print while contributing regularly to satirical journals such as *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*, venues that disseminated his social critiques to a broad readership. The choice of newsprint reflects the period’s practice of using affordable paper for mass‑circulated caricatures.

Context

The lithograph emerges from a France marked by republican ideals and frequent political satire aimed at the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy. Daumier’s work aligns with this climate, employing humor and exaggeration to question the values of the rising bourgeoisie.

Artist & collection

Artist

Honoré Daumier

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.