Artwork
Une séance de l'union électorale
Une séance de l'union électorale is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1851 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
He printed it in a newspaper first, so regular people could laugh at the powerful.
Daumier’s 1851 lithograph shows a rowdy political meeting. Men shout, wave fists, even throw chairs. One guy clutches an umbrella while another grabs his hat mid-air.
Daumier used lithography to mock politicians. The rough, scratchy lines make the chaos feel even wilder. He printed it in a newspaper first, so regular people could laugh at the powerful.
See how the ink bleeds just enough to blur the edges? It feels alive. If you like this sharp humor, look up Daumier, Honoré.
Overview
Une séance de l'union électorale is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, created in 1851. It depicts a tumultuous scene of a political meeting.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a chaotic gathering of men in disagreement, with exaggerated expressions and dramatic gestures. The scene is filled with scattered objects, conveying a satirical view of the disorder and absurdity of political events.
Technique & Style
Daumier employed lithography to convey the chaos, using rough, scratchy lines that enhance the sense of turmoil. The technique allows for expressive, gestural marks, and the ink's subtle bleeding adds to the dynamic feel of the image.
History & Provenance
The lithograph was initially printed in a newspaper, making it accessible to a broad audience and allowing ordinary people to critique the powerful through humor.
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.
