Who painted Souvenir of the Prison ot Ste. Pélagie?

Souvenir of the Prison ot Ste. Pélagie was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1834.

Where can I see Souvenir of the Prison ot Ste. Pélagie?

Souvenir of the Prison ot Ste. Pélagie is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Souvenir of the Prison ot Ste. Pélagie?

Souvenir of the Prison ot Ste. Pélagie is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Souvenir of the Prison ot Ste. Pélagie

Honoré Daumier , 1834

Souvenir of the Prison ot Ste. Pélagie is a print by the Romanticist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Honoré Daumier’s black‑and‑white print, Souvenir of the Prison of Ste. Pélagie, dates from 1834 and is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work depicts a cramped interior populated by three male figures, rendered in a stark, monochrome palette that emphasizes the atmosphere of confinement.

Subject & Meaning

The scene presents an older man seated at a table, clutching a newspaper with a weary expression, while a younger man in a long coat and hat stands nearby. A boy leans forward, also engaged with the paper. The surrounding objects—pots, pans, a hat—suggest a makeshift, overcrowded cell, hinting at daily life within the prison of Ste. Pélagie.

Technique & Style

Daumier employs chiaroscuro, using strong contrasts of light and shadow to model the figures and give depth to the cramped space. The ink drawing relies on varied hatching and cross‑hatching to convey texture, from the roughness of the floor to the folds of clothing, creating a vivid sense of three‑dimensionality on a flat surface.

History & Provenance

Created in 1834, the print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the early 20th century, though the precise details of its purchase remain undocumented in public records. It has been exhibited in several surveys of Daumier’s graphic work, illustrating his interest in social subjects.

Context

The work reflects Daumier’s early engagement with the conditions of the French penal system, a theme he explored in both drawings and caricatures. The prison of Ste. Pélagie, located in the Île‑de‑France region, was known for its overcrowding, and Daumier’s depiction aligns with contemporary concerns about reform and the human cost of incarceration.

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.