Artwork
Une station infiniment trop prolongée
Une station infiniment trop prolongée 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
Honoré Daumée r’s lithograph titled *Une station infiniment trop prolongée* presents a bustling street tableau where numerous pedestrians huddle beneath umbrellas to escape a downpour. The composition is densely packed, conveying the claustrophobic atmosphere of a rain‑soaked urban environment while each figure remains individually recognizable.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a fleeting moment of collective shelter, emphasizing the range of human reactions to inclement weather—some faces appear resigned, others animated, and a few seem indifferent. By juxtaposing these varied expressions, Daumée r suggests both the shared experience of city life and the personal narratives that unfold within public spaces.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the image relies on fine cross‑hatching to render the texture of rain and the sheen of wet surfaces. The delicate line work creates a sense of movement, as the overlapping umbrellas and slanted strokes suggest falling water and the subtle drift of bodies navigating the crowded thoroughfare.
History & Provenance
Created during Daumée r’s prolific period of social observation, the print reflects his long‑standing interest in everyday Parisian scenes. While the exact date of production is not recorded, the piece aligns with his mid‑19th‑century output and has circulated among private collections before entering public holdings, where it continues to be studied for its documentary quality.
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.
