Who painted Voila bien des oeufs de cassés...?

Voila bien des oeufs de cassés... was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1866.

Where can I see Voila bien des oeufs de cassés...?

Voila bien des oeufs de cassés... is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Voila bien des oeufs de cassés...?

Voila bien des oeufs de cassés... is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Voila bien des oeufs de cassés...

Honoré Daumier , 1866

Voila bien des oeufs de cassés... is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1866 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1866, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier bears the title *Voila bien des oeufs de cassés...*. Executed on newsprint, the work exemplifies Daumier’s prolific output of satirical prints that circulated widely in the French press of the mid‑nineteenth century.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts a cramped kitchen where two figures are engaged in a chaotic culinary episode. One man, bare‑chested, agitates a pan as smoke curls upward, while his companion, clad in a long coat, clutches a broken egg carton spilling cracked shells onto the untidy floor. A caption below teases the prospect of an omelet, using humor to highlight the frustrations of ordinary domestic life.

Technique & Style

Daumier employed lithography, a printmaking process that allowed rapid reproduction on inexpensive paper. The loose, sketch‑like lines and stark contrasts typical of his hand convey immediacy and vigor, reinforcing the comedic, observational tone of the image.

History & Provenance

Produced during Daumier’s long tenure as a caricaturist for French newspapers, the print was intended for mass consumption. Its use of newsprint underscores the artist’s strategy of reaching a broad audience through the everyday medium of the press.

Context

The work belongs to a period when Daumier regularly targeted social and political subjects, critiquing institutions such as the monarchy and clergy. Though this particular image focuses on a domestic vignette, it continues his practice of exposing the absurdities of daily existence.

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.