Who painted Une Péroraison a la Démosthène?

Une Péroraison a la Démosthène was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1847.

Where can I see Une Péroraison a la Démosthène?

Une Péroraison a la Démosthène is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Une Péroraison a la Démosthène?

Une Péroraison a la Démosthène is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Une Péroraison a la Démosthène

Honoré Daumier , 1847

Une Péroraison a la Démosthène 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 captures a bustling courtroom where a speaker, arms raised, commands the attention of a packed audience. The composition is rendered in swift, expressive lines that convey immediacy and movement, emphasizing the intensity of a public oration reminiscent of classical rhetoric.

Subject & Meaning

The work portrays a dramatic moment of legal oratory, suggesting a closing argument or impassioned plea. By invoking the name of Demosthenes, the celebrated Athenian orator, Daumier underscores the power of speech in shaping public opinion, while the surrounding figures—lawyers, judges, onlookers—reflect the collective scrutiny of authority.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, the image relies on bold, gestural strokes applied to a stone surface, producing a sketch‑like texture that retains the spontaneity of a live drawing. Daumier’s use of stark contrasts and minimal shading heightens the theatrical atmosphere, while the rough line work conveys both the tension of the scene and his satirical eye.

History & Provenance

The print emerged during Daumier’s period of regular contributions to the satirical journals La Caricature and Le Charivari, where he frequently critiqued the July Monarchy and early Second Republic. Distributed as a single‑sheet illustration, it circulated among readers of these publications, reinforcing Daumier’s reputation as a visual commentator on French political life.

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.