Artwork
Une Révolte a bord

Une Révolte a bord is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1843 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1843, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier captures a turbulent episode aboard a river vessel named “Le Bar Billon.” The composition centers on three figures: one man being held back, another restraining him, and a third wielding a long pole. The surrounding water and distant birds underscore the unsettled atmosphere, conveying a moment of conflict on the water.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays a small-scale revolt, suggesting broader social unrest in France during the July Monarchy. By focusing on a cramped boat scene, Daumier amplifies the tension between individuals and authority, reflecting his ongoing critique of the period’s political hierarchy and class divisions.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the work employs bold line work and stark contrasts typical of Daumier’s printmaking. The dramatic composition and emotive intensity align it with Romantic sensibilities, emphasizing heightened feeling and dynamic movement within a relatively simple visual framework.
History & Provenance
Daumier produced the print for the satirical journals La Caricature and Le Charivari, venues through which he regularly lampooned the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy. The lithograph forms part of his extensive series of graphic commentaries on mid‑19th‑century French politics, documenting the era’s class tensions and upheavals.
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.
















