Who painted Une loterie philantropique?

Une loterie philantropique was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1845.

Where can I see Une loterie philantropique?

Une loterie philantropique is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Une loterie philantropique?

Une loterie philantropique is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Une loterie philantropique

Honoré Daumier , 1845

Une loterie philantropique is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Honoré Daumier’s lithograph titled Une loterie philantropique presents a compact scene in which a startled woman brandishes a straight razor while a nervous man clutches a small bag. The composition freezes a moment of heightened tension, underscored by the characters’ expressive faces and a sign in the background that hints at the stakes of the encounter.

Subject & Meaning

The work juxtaposes the woman’s sudden alarm with the man’s apprehensive demeanor, suggesting an unexpected turn of events that may involve risk or loss. The presence of the razor and the bag, together with the sign, evokes ideas of chance, perhaps alluding to a lottery or a gamble where fortunes can shift abruptly.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, Daumier employs the medium’s capacity for bold line work and tonal variation to convey the immediacy of the scene. The stark contrasts between light and shadow, along with the fluid, sketch‑like rendering of the figures, reinforce the dramatic atmosphere while retaining the artist’s characteristic satirical edge.

History & Provenance

Created during Daumier’s prolific period of social commentary, the print reflects his interest in everyday encounters that reveal broader societal tensions. While specific ownership details are limited, the lithograph has circulated among collections that focus on 19th‑century French printmaking and the artist’s oeuvre.

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.